The Trials of Light and Dark
by Light in the Rain
Summary: KH1 The seuqel to Before The Door. We last left Reni being sucked up by the darkness...don't you want to know what happens next? OC's are present RiXOC Don't shoot! SoXKai rating may change...
1. Chapter 1

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Rainy: Okay, one of my friends had trouble knowing who's who when we did the bold and italics thing, so I'm just going to do script for this part n.n;

Light: Awwwwwwwww...

Rainy: Anyways, welcome to the sequel of Before the Door!

Light: This is The Trials of Light and Dark, otherwise known as tToLaD.

Rainy: **::giggle::**

Light: What?

Rainy: tToLaD—Toe Lad. XDDD

Light: **::sigh::** Only you, Rainy, only you... anyways, we left our last story with Reni being sucked up into the darkness.

Rainy: No sora fight?

Light: Oo Rainy, you wrote the last chapter, don't you remember?

Rainy: **::giggle:: **Toe Lad...

Light: Ugh, nevermind. Here's The Trials of Light and Dark.

Chapter warning: There is a lot of switching points of views—but there's a reason for it.

**- - - **

The Trials of Light and Dark

Chapter 1

Reni sat, curled up in the corner of an alley, slowly taking in her surroundings.

_Where am I? _She silently asked herself. Standing up, she walked out in front of a building to see a town square. That was strange...was this a different world?

Turning around, Reni looked at the building behind her. An accessory shop? She entered it, and the man behind the counter turned and said cheerfully, "Hello, how may I—" He suddenly stopped and frowned. "Ah, it's just a kid. Dangit. Ugh, what do you want?"

Reni, slightly insulted, blinked a few times. "Well, excuse me!" Something was familiar about him. She squinted a little. Had she met him befo—oh man, she had.

"UNCLE CID?!!" Reni screamed, running and nearly busting the counter to pieces. Cid stared at her.

"Do I know you?"

"Yes! Yes you do!" Reni, ignoring the counter, squeezed Cid to death—I mean, HUGGED Cid. "I'm Twerpy Number Two!!! Ya'know, from ten years ago! I'm Reni!"

Ungluing her from him, he said, "Wha? Twerpy Number Two?! Where's Twerpy Number One?"

"I dunno we were sent to this island and it was being swallowed by darkness and I was following Riku but then I saw Kairi and she wouldn't come out then Sora had a key thing and it was all like weeeeeeeeeeeee an' stuff and he went to get Kairi out and then I flew..." Reni said all in one breath.

Cid stared. "Who what when where why?"

Reni sighed heavily, "Me and Riku were on this island, and I went to check the secret place, where Kairi was, she wouldn't come out, so I ran to where Riku was supposedly, and Sora was there with this key thing, and we ran back to Kairi, and he went into the secret place, and then I was flying through the air or something."

"I have no idea what or who you're talking about," Cid stated, "but you know how to fight right?" Reni nodded.

"But I don't have my bow and arrows with me."

Cid pointed to the ceiling, "There are some synthesizing Moogles up there, they'll make you a bow and some arrows. You'll have to get the ladder down yourself though. I'll put it back up when you're up there. Once you're done getting your little archery set, go to the Second District. Do you remember Squall, Yuffie, and Aerith?" Reni nodded, and Cid continued. "Go to the hotel and yell for them. You'll at least find Aerith. She'll help you." Reni nodded again, to show she understood, and looked at the ladder.

Swiftly, she crawled onto the fireplace in the corner, and took a running leap to the ladder. She grabbed it, causing it to fall down, and for her to smack the ground forcibly. "OW ERASER!!!!" She shrieked after hitting the ground. Slowly, Reni lifted herself up.

"I said get the ladder down, not to commit suicide." Cid told her sharply. She stuck her tongue out at him and painfully climbed the ladder.

A few minutes later, Reni had a pretty kickbutt bow and some kewl arrows. They even gave her a quiver that tied around her waist instead of the normal tying around her back. The quiver was designed to never run out of arrows.

"Thanks guys!" Reni chirped to the moogles. "Gotta go! Bye!" And she exited through the upper door. She walked over to the Second District door.

Meanwhile, a certain brunette was woken up sharply when a yellow dog pounced on him.

- - -

Neki slowly opened her eyes to find herself on a weird floating island. Bolting to an upright position, she looked around in alarm.

"Hello?!" She yelled, standing up. "Riku?! Riku where are you?!" She looked at the floating islands below her and saw the said male three islands below. "Riku! Hold on, I'm coming!" She quickly hopped down every island to Riku.

- - -

"Okay, hotel," Reni sighed, entering the hotel hallway. She took a big, deep breath, and then screamed, "LEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOONNN!!!! YUUUUUUUUUUUUUFFFFFFIIIIIIEEEE!!!! AAAAAAAEEEEERRRRRRIIIIIITTTTHHH!!!! IIIIIIIIIIIII AAAAAAAMMMM VEEEEEERRRRYYYYYY COOOOOONFUUUUUUUSEDDDDD!!!"

A woman in a pink dress came out of one of the rooms and stared at Reni. "I'm Aerith, do I know you?"

"Yes! I'm Reni!" Reni exclaimed, jumping up and down. "Remember ten years ago?! Reeemmmmeeeeemmmbbeee—Ooh, I like your dress!" Reni ran over and began to play with Aerith's skirt, giggling like an idiot.

- - -

**((A/N: Okay, this next part isn't what was in the game, but it's in the Manga...aaaand I'm too lazy to start a new KH1 game right now, so I'm just following the manga XD))**

Sora ran around everywhere, looking for his friends. That's what Cid said to do. He ended up back in the First District again, and revisited Cid. Cid said to go look some more, so, sighing, Sora walked back out of the Accessory Shop.

"They'll keep coming after you," A voice said. Sora looked around in alarm. A man walked into view, and continued his sentence. "As long as you continue to wield the keyblade.

"What?" Sora asked, backing away. The man kept walking forward.

"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask you to take a little nap." The man swung his humongous sword.

- - -

Sora slowly opened his eyes, and blinked them a few times. He saw a pair of eyes above them. They looked like Kairi's.

"You okay?" Asked a voice.

"Ooh...Kairi...?" Sora groaned.

The eyes stared at him like he was crazy. "Kairi? Who's Kairi? I'm the great ninja Yuffie!" Sora launched himself into a sitting position. No, this wasn't Kairi! "I think you overdid it, Squall." The great ninja Yuffie told the man Sora assumed was 'Squall' and recognized as the man who had attacked him.

"That's Leon." Squall/Leon corrected sharply. They all stopped when they heard some glass-shattering screaming becoming louder and louder. Suddenly, there was a bang at the door. Leon stared at the door behind him as if it had just sprouted feet and was doing the chicken dance.

- - -

"Leeeeeeeeoooooon!" Goofy yelled into the empty alley as Donald yelled, "Where are you?!"

"I wonder where he is," Goofy pondered aloud.

"This town is too huge!" Donald growled unhappily. "If we don't hurry, we'll never find the key!"

"Uh-yuh!" Goofy agreed.

- - -

The doorknob began to jerk ferociously, and then a familiar blonde girl burst into the room glaring with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

Before Sora had a chance to yell 'Neki', for that's who he thought it was, the said girl tackled him. "SORA WHY DID YOU MAKE ME STAY OUT THERE! I could've helped in the secret place and got Kairi outta there! But nooooo you had to be Mr. 'I'm-a-big-boy-now' and leave me out to be sucked into the air, and flung here!"

Sora pushed her off of him, and said incredulously, "Hey, you're not Neki! You're Reni!"

Reni's anger seemed to disappear, and her eyes widened. "Neki's here?! Where?! And where's Riku?" She turned to see Yuffie and Leon. "Yuffie! Squally-poo!"

"Short-stuff!" Yuffie squealed, glomping Reni.

"I'm Leon." Leon glared at the girl.

Reni blinked at him through Yuffie's arms. "Awwwwwww, I got the wrong person."

"Nope, that's Squall turned Leon!" Yuffie detangled herself from the younger girl and jabbed a thumb at Leon. Reni squealed and then hugged Leon around his middle while he rolled his eyes.

"Wait, wait, hold up!" Sora interrupted, causing everyone to look at him. "Okay, you all, know her." He pointed from Yuffie and Leon, to Reni. "You, know them." He pointed from Reni to Yuffie and Leon. "Okay, that doesn't add up! What's going on here?"

Reni paled considerably, her eyes wide. "Uhhhhh..." She then looked at Yuffie and Leon. "Uh, who the heck are you guys?! I don't know you!" She lied lamely. "Oh well, gotta go! Nice seeing you Sora!"

Just as she was about to escape through the door, there was another big bang at the door along with scratching sounds along with clinking armor. Reni backed away from the door as if the door had sprouted legs and was doing the chicken dance.

"Darn, they're already here!" Leon yelled. "Yuffie, GO!" He commanded.

"What? Hey!" Sora protested, glaring.

"Just follow me!" Leon yelled, bursting out onto the balcony.

"We'll explain later!" Reni shouted to him, trailing Leon and pulling out her bow and arrows. Grumbling, Sora followed.

- - -

Finally, they reached the Third District.

"Ugh, can you tell me NOW?!" Sora yelled at Reni as he fought off a soldier heartless in the middle of the square.

"Fine!" Reni retorted, aiming and firing at far off Shadows on the stairs. "Neki and I came to the island from a different world ten years ago, and the world we used to live in was the same world Leon and Yuffie lived in!" She let an arrow fly. "Happy now?!"

Sora didn't get to answer, for he heard some yelling above him:

"Let's get em, Goofy!" A strange, scratchy voice yelled. Then there was a loud thunk, a bright light, and a duck and a dog thing were flying through the air, and straight towards Sora.

"Wha—" Sora yelled, and he began to run. "Ahhh!"

Bonk.

The Duck and the Dog were now on top of Sora, who was holding his Keyblade out in front of him.

"Ouch..." Sora groaned under all the weight.

"Oh, the Key!" Goofy and Donald exclaimed happily.

"Sora!" Reni yelled as walls shot out of the ground, imprisoning Sora, Donald and Goofy.

BOOM. Sora looked ahead, seeing a giant armored foot in front of him. BOOM. Another appeared. Bonk, there's a body. Clank, clank, arms. Thok, a head.

"Uhhhhhhhhh..." Donald stared at the Giant Armor.

"Not again!" Sora whined, preparing himself for battle.

- - -

Neki silently cradled Riku's head in her lap. He wasn't waking up yet. Neki wondered why he wasn't waking up, but she had, but decided not to go to deep into that.

Despite she was worried, Neki felt proud of herself. To tell the truth, when the darkness had come out of the ground, she had been totally freaking out, but she still launched herself into that vast of swirling black, just to follow Riku.

_Hrmm...maybe that's why I woke up before him..._ Neki silently thought. _Maybe my heart's stronger than his..._

Stroking his hair a little, she shifted so his head was on her stomach, so she could lie down and rest.

_I wonder if Sora's okay, I didn't see him reach Riku's hand before we were swallowed. _She mused silently. _And Reni and Beaver. Riku was there, so Reni had to be somewhere on the island, and I saw Beaver's boat, so unless Reni stole it to follow Riku, Beaver was there too...I hope they're all okay._

She let her mind wander until she fell asleep.

- - -

"You were looking for me?" Sora asked Donald and Goofy in surprise. They had just finished the big boss battle and were standing in the First District.

"They too, have been seeking the wielder of the keyblade." Leon answered for them, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Hey, why not join us?" Goofy suggested. "We can go to other worlds on our vessel!" Donald nodded.

"I wonder if I could find Riku, Neki, and Kairi..." Sora said, staring at the ground.

"Of course!" Donald exclaimed.

"Really?" Goofy whispered to Donald confidentially.

"Who knows? But we need him to help us find the king," Donald jabbed a thumb in Sora's direction.

Leon sighed and stepped forward. "Sora, go with them. Especially if you want to find your friends."

"Yeah...I guess," Sora said even sadder.

Donald waved a finger at him "You can't come looking like that! No frowning, no sad faces," Donald told him "Okay?"

"Yeah, you gotta look funny—like us!" Goofy laughed.

"This boat runs on happy faces!" Donald informed Sora.

"Happy?" Sora asked sadly. There was a long pause, then Sora looked back up at them with the stupidest smile in the world. "Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese...ehh...uhh...wha?" He faltered when he saw Goofy and Donald staring at him.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAA!" Donald and Goofy laughed loudly.

"That's one funny face!" Goofy giggled.

**((A/N: that's fun to say! Goofy-giggled, goofy-giggled!))**

"Okay, why not? I'll go with you guys!" Sora announced, suddenly happy again.

"I'm Donald Duck!" Donald exclaimed putting his hand out.

"Name's Goofy," Goofy also put his hand out.

"And I'm Sora," Sora told them, putting his hand down ontop of theirs. Suddenly, a thin pale hand slipped it's way onto theirs.

"Reni!" Reni piped up. Sora gaped at her.

"Reni you are NOT coming along!" He demanded.

"What? Why not, Sora?!" Reni whined. "I gotta protect you!"

There was a long period of silence.

Reni fish-eyed them all. "What?! Girls can't protect guys anymore?!"

"They never DID." Sora interrupted.

"Oh, SEXIST!!!" Yuffie yelled shrilly.

- - -

Slowly, Riku opened his eyes, and sat up into a kneeling position. "Where...am I?" He asked.

Neki sat up and stretched, "What?" she yawned.

Riku jumped when she spoke, and whirled around to face her. "Ah! Oh, god, it's only you...where are we?"

Neki shrugged. "We're on a floaty island thingy."

Rolling his eyes, he said sarcastically, "Wow, I'd never guess!" He sighed and stood. Neki remained sitting. "Let's get outta here," Riku held out his hand to help her up.

Neki stared at his hand for a while, wondering if this was what Sora had seen before the darkness took them. Then she took it, and was hoisted up.

"Let's get to the top," Riku said, climbing one of the floating island sides. Neki followed suit, and climbed up.

A few islands later, Riku asked her, "Do you need help?"

"No I don't." Neki answered slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Reni's not the only one with spaghetti arms, if you get what I mean," Riku informed her. He was hanging from the ledge with one hand, staring down at her.

Neki got defensive, "I do NOT have spaghetti arms! How dare you think I have spaghetti arms?!" She pointed accusingly at him, "I don't have spaghetti arms! You need your eyes—" She lost footing. "che—AAAK!!!" Riku leaned down and grabbed her wrist before she fell.

"Yeah, you have spaghetti arms, Neki," He pulled her up, and propped his knee up for her to sit on. "But I don't mind; they're MY spaghetti arms." He smirked at her.

"Well, seeing as I'm sitting on a silver haired man's knee above many miles of nothingness," Neki began smiling flirtily. "I'm now afraid of heights."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked accusingly, but smiling all the way.

- - -

"Okay, to sneak onto that gummi ship," Yuffie whispered softly to Reni. "You'll first need to wear some darker clothing so they have a harder time seeing you—here's some." Yuffie handed Reni some black ninja clothes. "And I suggest that you sneak on before them, and go to the WAY back end of it, preferably a closet, understand?" Reni nodded, already halfway into the black clothing and slipping her bright pink clothes into a convenient pouch on her hip. "Okay, go make me proud!"

Reni smiled insanely, and had to keep from giggling as she ran silently past the talking Sora, Donald, and Goofy to the World Exit door.

**- - - **

Rainy: AND I LEAVE YOU!!!!

Light: Wow, that's about...9 pages without author comments!

Riku: How long is it WITH author comments?

Rainy: 10 and a quarter. So technically 11.

Sora: Daaaang, and this is coming from a girl on writers' block?

Rainy: Well, I'm only having writers' block on Escape from Memory...but I'm working on that tomorrow.

Light: Hmm...that's nice—PUT THIS ON FANFICTION DOT COM ALREADY!!!

Riku: You know, when the readers see this, it will already BE on the website, right?

Light: I don't care I just feel like SHOUTING FOR SOME REASON!!! REVIEW!!!

Next to write: Light of Heaven!

REVIEW MY DUCKLINGS!! REVIEW!!! MWA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAA **::hack, wheeze::**


	2. Chapter 2

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Light: Ohmeegursh!!! It's so my chapter!

Rainy: Congrats!

Light: --bows—Thank you!

Rainy: So how about the chapter?

Light: Well first we have to waste a whole page with author's notes…

Rainy: Really? Why?

Light: --shrugs—I don't know, we always have…

Rainy: …

Light: … Well I give up. ON TO THE CHAPTER!!!

Sora: RAINY, LIGHT'S YELLING!

Rainy: But she likes to yell…?

Light: I LIKE YELLING!!! –dances—

Chapter Warning: Same as last time, just not as sudden…

Chapter 2

Neki looked down at the last of the floating islands. Presently, Riku and she stood on a big floating island that was more stable and—thankfully for Neki—not moving. Riku kept staring at the massive castle that was at least a hundred yards away with a steely look plastered on his face. It was really unnerving Neki.

That would most likely explain why she was currently staring at the moving platform below her, and Riku was on the other side, staring at said structure.

"Riku," Neki started, and turned her upper body to face him, "Are you going to just stare at it, or find us a way up? Huh?" Riku looked over his shoulder at her with a smile that made her shiver and look away.

With a shake of his head he answer, "Any minute now." Neki pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"You said that last time I ask!" In a flurry of motion, Neki was up and had Riku turned to face her, "I'm cold, hungry, and tired. I want to find Reni and Sora and go home!"

"Which home?"

The almost too quiet question startled her, and she took a few steps back, "Riku, don't start with me on that alright? Sure, I miss my old friends, but that doesn't mean I'll abandon you for them!" Riku mumbled something under his breath and Neki growled, "I'm not abandoning them either! They miss me, I'm sure, and I miss them too. But they'll understand if I want to save Sora and Kairi before going to find them!"

He shook his head and started to turn back around, but Neki grabbed his arm.

"Riku, don't you understand what I'm saying? You're allowed more than one group of friends!" Something told her he wasn't listening, so she growled again, then went back to her spot on the other side of the platform, sat down, and glared at the same place she had been before.

Well this was going to take awhile…

- - - - -

"So where to first!" Sora quipped happily and sat down in one of the chairs. Donald and Goofy exchanged looks and shrugged.

"We can go right, or left. You can choose, but be prepared, because we'll have to deal with heartless ships," Donald explained in his scratchy duck voice before sitting in the chair to the right of Sora. Goofy sat in the remaining chair.

"To the left is Wonderland, and to the right is Deep Jungle; which would you like to go to first?" Goofy asked the brunette, who was thinking carefully.

Sora scrunched his nose and pursed his lips, causing Donald to crack a smile, and Goofy to smother a laugh, "What?" Both animal-things shook their heads rapidly and smiled at each other. Sora shrugged and resumed his 'thinking', "Deep Jungle!" Donald, who was steering, nodded and pushed some of the colorful buttons. Goofy started getting the weapons ready to fire.

"Deep Jungle, here we come!" Donald squawked. Sora looked around frantically.

"WHAT DO I DO?!?"

"Just sit there and look pretty!" Donald yelled.

Then they were off!

- - - - -

_What's that smell? Chicken? Alligator? CHEESE?! Oh my tuna, where's the cheese? _Reni rummaged through the supply closet in search of the mystery smell, _No! Wait…It's…It's… Oh tuna…_ She paled at the sight, then contorted her face into a confused look.

_Why the chocolate does it smell like cheese?_

I don't even want to know…

- - - - -

It was a good half hour since they'd last talked. Neki was freezing, starving, and had great potential for becoming a psycho killer who kills people with spoons. _Spooooooooons…………_

"Neki"

"SPOONS!!!" She screamed and leapt up with a plastic spoon and her eye twitching. Blinking, she looked around and found Riku standing on a platform that was about to leave without her, "SP-SPOON!" She jumped for his outstretched hand and landed on the ground with a thump, "Spoons…"

"What the hell is your problem?" Riku asked skeptically as he helped her up. As soon as she was though, she shivered, her stomach growled loudly, and she fainted, "Well that's just great."

"Spooooooooons………"

"Idiot…"

- - - - -

Things were going fine so far. The ship was steady, Goofy was hitting almost all of the enemy ships, Sora had found that he was pretty good at shooting lasers, and Donald hadn't yelled in the last ten minutes. Things were going great! Until of course:

"Hey, can I try steering," Sora asked. It was an innocent request, except that Donald was protective over his position with the wheel.

"No!"

"Come on!" Sora whined and made a move for the wheel.

"I SAID NO!"

Sora made another attempt to grab the wheel, which made Donald kick him in the stomach, Sora lurch forward, spin the wheel, and make said gummy ship spin out of control. Heading straight for Deep Jungle.

As they were about to impact, the trio heard a high pitched scream, followed by a flying mass of black that flew right into some of the buttons.

"RENI?!?"

"SO-CHAN!"

Reni glomped Sora around the middle as his seat was sent through the ceiling by a hidden spring. Donald stared at the two as they left and cursed under his breath.

"SHE PRESSED THE EVACUATION BUTTON!" Donald squawked before his and Goofy's chair followed suit, "I'LL KILL HER!!!"

- - - - -

Riku walked fast. Really fast. So fast that it was a miracle that Neki, now fully awake, was able to keep up. They went down another corridor, and Neki mused over how he knew where to go and what to do. He stopped, turned around, barely missing colliding with her, and started down another corridor, before repeating his actions until Neki realized that he was pacing now.

"You okay?" She asked, full of concern.

"I'm confused." His answer was short and clipped, causing her to flinch. She sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Were you waiting long?" A sickly sweet voice asked from behind her, and Neki leapt forward, latching onto Riku with wide eyes. A figure appeared wearing a long flowing black cloak with purple on the inside of the collar. Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes were tinted yellow. She had high brows, and wore a cap of some sorts that gave her the appearance of horns. Her thin lips were curled up in a grin and she looked down at Neki and Riku like they were lunch.

Overall, not Neki's cup of tea.

"Who are you?" Riku asked crossly. Neki continued to cower behind him and stare at the strange woman, convinced that it was the devil's ex-wife.

"My name is Maleficent. I am the owner of this castle of which you are intruding." Neki decided to take a step forward at take another look at this Maleficent. She had purple eye shadow above and below her eyes, which made her look like she had a major case of baggage. Neki bit her bottom lip to stop the smile as Riku answered.

"I'm Riku, and she's Neki. We were brought here by the darkness." Maleficent feigned surprise and raised her hand to cover her mouth as she chortled.

"Well then, Riku and Neki, we've been expecting you for some time now. This way," she brandished her hand to the door behind her and the two followed through obediently, Riku because he was curious. Neki because there was no other choice.

The room they entered was spacious, and pretty much empty except for the cauldron in the middle of the room. Surrounding the cauldron was a group of people, none of whom Neki knew. Maleficent joined the circle of people and faced Riku and herself.

"We would like to cordially invite you to join our cause." A man to Maleficent's right bowed. He had an accent that Neki couldn't place. Like he was of high stature, but was used to bowing to people. The person next to the first man looked to be a portly fellow, and seemed to find everything funny.

"Yes! We could use a few gophers to do our dirty work!" He laughed, causing something to fly out of his mouth and land by Riku's foot. Neki looked down and saw that it was a centipede. She shuddered and took a step away from it.

"Oogie! Come on now, man, don't tell them that! They might get the idea they have a choice!" The figure across from 'Oogie' said. His shadow was thin, and he looked like he was wearing a robe. There was also blue fire above him that barely illuminated his blue skin. Neki looked at the group. It was like a giant melting pot!

Finally, Maleficent sighed and shook her head, "Will you all just be quiet!" She was snappy Neki noted.

"Just what is this cause?" She asked Maleficent with a curious look. She had a good idea of what it was, and so far she didn't like it. Maleficent must have sensed her reluctance, because when the blue haired one started to say something, she silenced him with a wave of her hand.

"To help you find your friends and return home," she said in the disgustingly sweet voice of hers. Neki, too hungry to call Maleficent's bluff, mulled over her options.

_Go on my own and look for Reni, Sora and Kairi. Possibly get lost or stuck someplace. Turn into a heartless. Stay here with Riku and the Freak Patrol to find Reni, Sora, and Kairi. Have a warm bed and food. Of course there is the possibility that I'm not following my mission. Riku. Mission. Riku. Mission…GAH! I DON'T KNOW!_

Her eye twitched as she thought, and during that time Riku agreed to stay with them and do whatever it was they needed. Someone called her name and she looked up, still thinking. That is until her stomach growled so loud that whoever was talking stopped.

"You got any applesauce?" Neki inquired as she rubbed her empty belly. She almost wished she had some spinach soufflé at this point. Maleficent and friends looked at each other, then huddled together and talked under their breath. Finally:

"Yes."

"THEN YOU GOT ME!"

What a deal breaker…

**((A/N: APPLESAUCE!!! w000000t!!!))**

- - - - -

Sora woke up to Kairi laughing at him. He stood and stared at her, making sure she was real. When she didn't falter, he jumped up and started for her, "Kairi!" She started running away. "Kairi?" She kept running. So did Sora.

Reni woke up to Sora chasing a man in a loincloth, "Monkey man?" She sat up and watched the two circle round the room they were in, then leapt up and screamed wildly, "OH MY GOD! NEKI WAS RIGHT!"

Kairi stopped running, and Sora ran into her. He fell to the ground and looked up to find that Kairi wasn't Kairi, "Monkey man?" He too leapt up and pointed at Kairi who is no longer Kairi, "NEKI WAS RIGHT!"

The 'monkey man' cocked his head at Sora who had started inching to the safety of behind Reni, "What are you doing? Ask him if he's seen Riku or Neki!" Sora stared at Reni liked a frightened puppy, which made Reni squeal and glomp him, "Okay! Fine I'll ask the monkey man…" Reni pushed Sora off her and stood to face the monkey man. He cocked his head to the other side as she approached him, "We're looking for our friends. Have you seen them?"

Monkey Man didn't seem to understand.

"Look, we got separated from our friends. Have you seen them?" Reni asked again, only slower.

"Friends…?"

"Yes! My friends! One has silver hair, one is a blonde like me," at this, Reni pulled a chuck of her hair to show she meant the color, "and the other has red hair!"

He nodded, "Friends. Here," then made monkey sounds. Reni leapt back a few paces.

"R-really?"

He nodded again, "Friends here," then monkey sounds.

"Can you show us?" Sora asked as he stood to stand beside Reni, "Can you take us to Riku, Neki, and Kairi?"

Monkey Man pointed to himself with his fists, "Tarzan. Tarzan go."

"Sora," Sora said and pointed to himself. He then pointed to Reni, "Reni. Tarzan go, Sora Reni go go."

Tarzan nodded again, and started to lead them to the door when they heard a growl. Immediately, Reni thought of Neki and looked around. Sora must have thought so too, because he glanced around the room too, finally landing on something that stood on the beams.

"Uh-oh."

"KITTY!!!" Reni screamed and ran out of the room, followed by Tarzan.

"Hey!" Sora started to follow, but was stopped when the leopard jumped down in front of him and growled again, "This is so not cool…"

The leopard lunged at him, so he jumped to the right, but the big cat simply landed and turned to lung at him again. This time he threw up his key blade to stop the blow, and while it was dazed, he laid out a series of barrages to the animal. It managed to knock him down with a hit to his side, and he could feel the air leave his lungs. It attacked again, but Sora pulled the key blade up in time to knock it off its feet, landing with a resounding thump on its side. He let out a relieved sigh and turned to the door, planning on leaving before it woke up and attacked again.

Unluckily for Sora, he wasn't fast enough, and he turned back around just as it made a final attempt to claw his throat, "GAH!" He threw his arms up to cover his face and heard the clash of ebony and wood. He removed his limbs to find Tarzan fighting the leopard with a makeshift spear, "What?" Tarzan over powered the beast and pushed it back a yard. It hissed at Tarzan, obviously mad that it had interrupted its hunt, but ran toward the wall, and out one of the windows.

"Sabor. Danger."

"Uh…Thanks."

Reni burst back into the room, "I JUST SAW THE KITTY LEAVE!" Sora glared at her and she stopped her running, "What?"

"No thanks to you I might add!" Sora turned to the door and stalked out. Reni rolled her eyes and followed silently.

"Well excuse me!"

- - - - -

"Before we can fully help you in your cause, you must swear fealty to us," Maleficent continued in that poisoned chocolate voice that made Neki was to smack her with her sanded down stick. Which reminded said girl.

"MY STICK!"

Maleficent did a double take at the now crying girl and stood, mouth agape while Riku comforted her.

"We'll get you a better stick an—"

"BUT THAT ONE WAS FROM SORA!" Neki wailed, even more upset than before at the mention of just replacing it.

"And this one will be from me!" Riku cooed as he wrapped her up in his arms. Neki paused in her crying, "That's my girl." Neki craned her neck to look at Riku.

"Promise you'll help me find Sora's when we get back home?" Riku nodded and squeezed her arms gently. She sniffed and nodded as well, "Okay. I swear on my life that I will be loyal to you, so long as you do what you can to return my friends and myself to our home." The black clad witch raise one of her eye brows higher than logic dictates and nodded.

"That will suffice. Riku?"

Riku nodded, "I swear on my life to be loyal, as long as you get us home." She smiled evilly then, and spread her arms out wide as the two were enveloped in a glowing green light. Neki started, but Riku calmed her by bringing her closer to his body, "Just relax. Everything will turn out alright." Neki's eyes glazed over and she nodded slowly. When the glowing subsided, Riku let her go, and she stumbled, before regaining her balance and turned to face Maleficent.

"What did you do?" Riku questioned.

"I gave you the greatest gift of all."

"Snow?" Neki asked dumbly with a silly smile plastered on her face. Maleficent deadpanned and shook her head.

"The power of darkness."

Neki was slightly happy that it was so dark in the room they were in. That was the only reason nobody saw her pale.

"Darkness…Just what I've always wanted."

- - - - -

"Where are we?" Goofy asked as he rubbed his head. He was sitting on a rock, with Donald laying on his stomach next to him, "I sure hope Sora and that girl are okay!"

Donald sat up with s scowl on his face, "Oh who needs 'em! It's that girl's fault we're here anyway! We can find the King without them!" He fuddled for his wizard's staff and looked down when he felt something fuzzy, "Huh?" He was met with a pair of brown eyes belonging to a…Gorilla, "AHHH!!!"

The gorilla screamed at the same time Donald did, and Goofy scratched his head in confusion before shrugging. Then the gorilla ran off, but not before stopping and dropping something on the ground as it turned to look at the two one last time. Something rustled the bamboo, and Donald turned from the gummy ship piece that the gorilla dropped to the passageway. Goody did the same and together they gulped for air when the bamboo moved again. Then a figure appeared.

It was a with a thin mustache and a square jaw in a tan hunting suit. He held a shotgun.

Oh boy.

- - - - -

Sora entered the tent after Tarzan, dragging a whining Reni behind him, "But I wanna ride down the tree again!" Her pack was bulging from fruit she had picked up along the way, and there was a half eaten one in her hand.

"No! We need to find our friends."

"WE'LL FIND 'EM EVENTUALLY!!!" When Sora let go of her collar, she made a move to leave again, but was stopped by a block of some sort. Reni fell back to the ground with a thud and a yelp. She looked up to see what stopped her and found that she had ran into a man with a funny looking mustache and a yellow jumpsuit.

A woman turned around from fiddling with a camera, "Tarzan? And you brought people!" She bent forward to inspect Sora, "We'll you're obviously not related to Tarzan," Said two shared a look, "Are you here to study the gorillas?"

Funny looking man roughly pulled Reni up so he could finish entering, "Highly doubtful. Scrawny bunch that they are wouldn't be much help hunting gorillas." After him came Donald and Goofy.

"Goofy! Donald!" Donald and Sora clasped hands and jumped in glee, until they realized who they were touching, and like men, crossed their arms and turned the other way.

"Clayton! We're not here to hunt the gorillas! We're here to _study_ them!" the woman called in a frustrated voice, but Clayton had already exited the tent. She sighed in exasperation, "Oh! Where are my manners. I'm Jane."

"I'm Sora, and the girl is Reni."

Reni huffed, "I can introduce myself you know…" Sora rolled his eyes.

"I'm Donald."

"The name's Goofy."

Jane smiled, "It's so nice to meet you all. The more the merrier, so make yourselves at home." She went back to messing with the camera.

"Well for one thing—" Sora started.

"I'm staying!" Donald and Sora said in unison. Reni looked at them, before sitting down on a crate.

"Wha?"

"Sora, look what we found!" Goofy said and help out his closed hands, opening them slowly to reveal a jiggly red orange block.

Reni jumped up with a smile, "You found Jello?" she asked. Goofy shook his head. She scratched the back of her head in confusion and lost interest, walking over to see what Jane was doing.

"Oh! Reni, right?" Reni nodded, "Well I'm setting up a slideshow of pictures. Maybe one of them will help you find your friends!"

"Can we watch them?" This time Jane nodded.

"I don't see why not!"

The group crowded in front of the screen and watched the passing pictures. One of the last ones was a picture of a castle, and simultaneously Sora and Reni took a step forward.

"Oh?" Goofy noted, "Do you guys know where that is?" The two shook their heads, still in unison.

"No, but I feel like I've seen it before."

"I feel like I've been there before."

Sora turned to face her, "Really?" She nodded, "Is that your old home?" Reni shook her head.

"No, my home was beautiful. That castle just," She didn't finish her sentence, and Sora didn't press her.

"Well Tarzan?"

"Where are our friends; Riku and Kairi?" Reni asked him in a pleading tone. Tarzan didn't answer, "Hey I thought—"

"That leaves only one place. Your friends must be with the gorillas, or we would have seen them already," Clayton entered the tent again, this time with out the shot gun, "But Tarzan refuses to take us there."

"Mr. Clayton, I hardly think that Tarzan wouldn't hide—"

"Then take us there," Clayton yelled at Tarzan, interrupting Jane, "Take us to the gorillas. Go-rill-as!"

Tarzan looked over at Sora, then to Reni, who looked about ready to look for the gorillas on her own. Finally Tarzan nodded.

"Tarzan, are you sure?" Jane asked warily.

Again he nodded, "Tarzan. Go see Kerchak."

"Kerchak?" wondered Jane.

"He must be the head gorilla. I'll go along as an escort. The jungle can be such a dangerous place for a young lady such as yourself and Reni," as everyone followed Tarzan out of the tent, Reni mumbling angrily about being surrounded by sexist men all the while, Clayton grinned wickedly, "Just perfect…"

- - - - -

Riku was first in the room. It was simple, small, and over all quiet. Neki didn't like it. There were two twin sized beds, each had its own nightstand and lamp, and there was a small black rug in between that only made the room feel smaller. Even the bed sheets and curtains were black. There was a door that led to a small bathroom, decked out in black as well.

"I feel like somebody died," she grumbled and sat down on the bed that was on the left side of the room. She then noticed a small dark oak dresser on the wall opposite from the bed, the same wall as the door. She stood back up and opened the first drawer. There were the normal things you would find in the top drawer. Underwear, boxers, bras. Of course they were all in depressing shades of gray and black, but Neki noted that they had been expecting Riku and her.

The next drawer was a little less depressing. There were some red tops, obviously for her, and some black ones as well. There was also a few replicas of Riku's outfit. She scrunched her nose in disgust at the masses of yellow. Sure, his pants were cool with its poofy-ness, but yellow for a shirt? Come on! What was he, a banana?

The third and final drawer held dark blue and black pants, along with replicas of his pants. Neki grinned wickedly and grabbed a pair of his pants, along with a red tube top and underwear and a bra, then bolted for the bathroom where she found black towels, and even black shampoo and body wash! She flipped open the cap and took a whiff of the shampoo; wilting roses. How they got that smell, Neki had no idea, but surprisingly it smelt good. She figured the other bottles must have the same concoction, so once she figured out to work the shower, she quickly shed her clothes and jumped in.

Riku stared at the closed door, and felt his face heat when he heard the water start running. That meant she was taking a shower. His face heated even more, "Oh dear god…" he muttered and brought his hand to his face. He fell back onto the other bed with a tired sigh, "What a week." He laid there in silence until he heard the water stop and Neki started singing.

_I'll be waiting for you, in my heart you are the one  
If I cannot find you, I will look up to the sun  
If from where you're standing, you can see the sky above  
I'll be waiting for you, if you still believe in love_

He gawked at the door, even after she stopped singing, and even as she opened the door. He continued to stare as she appeared in the door way, wearing nothing but a red tube top and a pair of his pants as she dried her hair, "Hey Riku. There's still hot water if you want to jump in too." He barely noticed that he nodded and went the dresser, grabbed a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom until the hot water hit his chest causing him to gasp. Outside in the room, Neki continued to sing.

_Do you still remember all the time that has gone by?  
Do you still believe that love can fall out from the sky?  
If from where you're standing, you can see the sky above  
I'll be waiting for you, if you still believe in love_

Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked out the window. They were encased. No where to go. No where to run. Like trapped rats. She closed her eyes and turned away from the window, "Nothing to do now but what they say." She sighed and went to her bed, laying herself down gently on her stomach, "Something tells me I took the hard road." Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of the water until it ceased. Neki raised her head to see Riku enter in fresh looking close and dripping wet hair, not much unlike her own. He stalked over to his bed and flopped down on in, making it squeak under the sudden weight.

The sun was starting to set, and Neki wondered what Reni was doing at the moment…

- - - - -

"BABY GORILLA!!!" Reni shouted gleefully and chased after said gorilla as it ran away from Clayton and his invisible monster thing. Her hair flying around the corner was the last thing Sora saw before she was gone.

"RENI! RENI GET BACK HERE—Oh I give up…" He slapped his hand to his forehead for the hundredth time that day it seemed and turned back around to face off with Clayton. He'd deal with the freak child later.

- - - - -

It was dark now, and Neki couldn't take it for one more minute. For one thing, the room was small. For another, it was covered in black. So pitch black night equaled completely black room. Even her pajamas were black, and no matter how comfy they were, Neki found the fact that when she walked in the dark she only saw her feet moving unnerving to say the least.

She flung back her blankets and stood with her pillow, shuffling over to Riku's bed and poking what she thought was his shoulder.

"That's my chest your poking." Neki gave his dark form a funny look.

"Well then you sleep weird!" she said and bent down so she could see his face. Not bothered in the least bit that she had to be three inches away from his face to see him she asked simply, "Can I sleep with you?" Riku sat up and faced her.

"What?" He sounded groggy. She must have woken him up.

"Well, it's really dark, and I don't like it, so just this once could I sleep in your bed with you?" She heard him sigh.

"Just this once," he shifted over closer to the wall and she squealed happily, worming her way under the covers. He draped his arm over her waist and pulled her closer to him, "Good night."

"Good night Riku," she murmured, already dozing, "Thank you…" He kissed her forehead and leaned back, content with just watching her sleep.

"No, Neki. Thank you."

- - - - -

"Sora," a meek voice called from the door to his small cabin room. He looked up to see a figure standing in his doorway, "Sora…" the timid voice called again.

"What? Reni?" The figure nodded and entered, making the room seem smaller, "What's wrong now?"

"I miss Neki."

He sat up more and patted an open spot on his bed. Reni lumbered up and hugged a plushie.

"Where did you find that?"

"Supply closet. They have everything in there! Don't tell Donald, but I found his mozzarella sticks that he was keeping in the glove compartment!" She quipped happily. Sora shook his head and laughed, "Do you miss her?"

He paused and stared at his hand, "Yeah, I do. I miss Neki, Riku, Kairi, and everyone else." Reni laid her head down on his lap and sniffled, "Reni?"

"Neki and I have never been so far apart like this…" she mumbled and drew the plushie up to her chin, "Never. Not even once!"

"You guys were really close friends huh?" Reni choked out a laugh, "I'm taking that as a 'it's something that will be explained later' kind of thing?" He felt the mound on his lap nod and he leaned back against the wall, unconsciously rubbing Reni's back, "Don't worry, okay? We'll find everyone eventually, and we'll all go home together!"

"Promise?" Reni croaked.

Sora nodded and stroked Reni's hair to calm her, "Promise!" The two delved into silence until Sora decided to bring up what happened on Deep Jungle, "Where were you?"

Reni shrugged, "The baby gorilla went back to its nest, and the momma gorilla made me sit down while it picked my hair clean…There were so many bugs," At that, Reni shuddered, "Then when I was all clean, she let me leave. That's when I caught up with you guys before you headed off to the waterfall place."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Reni?"

"Hm?"

"Leave again during a big battle like that and I'll chop off that plushie's head."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

End

Rainy: --crying—It's not my fault people hate it when OCs help in boss battles!

Light: Don't worry, we're authoress'! We can make MORE PLUSHIES!!!

Rainy: You still like yelling don't you?

Light: I HAD RICE KRISPIE TREATS!

Rainy: --crying more—I WANTED ONE!

Light: I gave one to Sora to give to you!

Sora: --walks past with stuffed mouth—

Light: --holds up tape recorder—Note to self: stop giving important parcels to Sora. He'll eat them.

Riku: Well that's a give me.

Light: Oo? I don't' get it.

Rainy: --ponders—

Riku: Rainy I wouldn't do tha—

Rainy: --head explodes—

Light: TO THE DOCTORS!!!

Riku: We'll try to have her partially fixed up by tomorrow…Then again Cid is the doctor so…NEKI! I THINK WE SHOULD GO FIND AERITH!

Cid: NONSENSE!!!

Sora: This doesn't bode well…

Next chapter's authoress: BLACK RAINY!!!

--demonic voice—NOW REVIEW!!! –sweet voice—Pretty please?


	3. Chapter 3

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Rainy::clutching plushie:: Don't worry little one, the big mean So-so is gone...

Light: Oo;;; Rainy?

Rainy::giggle::sings:: I'm loooooopy I'm loooooopy tra la la la la la la la I'm loooooopy I'm looooooopy tra la la la la laaaaaaaa!!!!

Sora: What's with her?

Riku: She stayed up last night. All night. She'd been awake for twenty-four hours straight.

Light: But she got out of school and took a 7 hour nap until dinner time. Oo

Riku: Yeah, this is just the side-effects of all the caffeine she drank to stay awake.

LightSora: Ohhhh...

Rainy::giggle:: Spongebob in a puddin' cup... ::giggle::

Light: Rainy, start the story.

Rainy: OKAY TIGER TOES!!!!! 8DDDDDDD

Light::smacks forehead::

**- - - **

Chapter 3

"Okay, seeing as we decided to skip Wonderland, AND that Reni wants a vacation there," Donald announced, standing in front of the three others. "Let's go there."

"YAY, vacation in Wonderland!" Reni gasped excitedly. "I bet it's a land of wonder!" She turned her excited smile to Sora, waiting for a response.

Sora stared at her for a second, arching an eyebrow. "Yeeeaaahhh...I bet so, too..." Turning back to Donald, he continued, "Okay, let's go there. But first, let's go back to Traverse Town."

"How come?" Goofy asked, suddenly deciding to actually appear in the current conversation.

"Well..." Sora scratched the back of his head. "...it's complicated...I'll tell you guys later."

Donald stared suspiciously at Sora. Then he said to Reni, "Reni, why don't you go make us something to eat in the Gummi Kitchen?"

Reni's widened with excitement. "Really?! Wow, cooking AND a land of wonder! How better can this day get?!" She squealed, and then took off to the Gummi Kitchen.

As soon as she was gone, Donald immediately asked Sora, "Why do we have to go to Traverse Town?"

"I don't want Reni to come along." Sora simply stated. "She'll get hurt, and then Neki will kill me, along with Riku. She's safer in Traverse Town." Sora turned around and walked in the direction Reni ran off in. "Hey Reni! You better be making spaghetti in there!"

Now Sora was gone. Donald waddled over to the Gummi controls and sat at the driver's seat. "I think it will be better if Reni's gone, too. I mean, she caused us to crash last time."

Goofy looked quite sad at that point. "Well, I'll be sad she's gone, but Sora's doing the right thing in tryin' to protect her an' all. Shows just how good o' friends they are."

"Yeah, but Reni's not gonna be happy when she finds out."

- - -

_Oh god in heaven, _Riku mentally begged as he walked through the darkness portal, _save me. I know we don't talk as often as we should, but PLEASE!!! Your child begs you! Neki's making me go to WONDERLAND._

"Riku?" Neki's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What the chocolate is with your face?" He looked at her in question. "It's like you're begging Tuna to save you..."

Funny how close she is. Riku merely replied, "Remember, I'd rather be with the darkness-obsessed old guy that doesn't wear underwear than go to Wonderland."

Neki rolled her eyes and huffed, "Riku, if you keep that attitude up, the darkness-obsessed old guy is going to possess you. Besides, I think there's a girl of the heart there."

"You mean Maiden of Heart? Princess of Heart?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Neki drawled out. "It would help Zombie-Beaver." Yes, they indeed had the unconscious Kairi now, who was back at Hollow Bastion with the other villains. Maleficent had told them to find all the Maidens of Heart to help find Kairi's stolen heart.

"Okay, okay," Riku sighed heavily. "Let's just hurry up. I think I see the end." He picked up his pace.

Silently, the two walked side by side out of the small tunnel.

- - -

"No, you are staying here!" Sora demanded Reni, staring seriously into her eyes and pointing at the ground. They were in front of Cid's Accessory Shop, Donald and Goofy over by the world exit door, watching the fight.

"I don't want to!" Reni yelled right back at him. "In fact, I _need_ to stay with you!" She stomped her right foot like a little kid.

"Well, you're going to have to!" The keybearer contradicted. "Trust me, as a friend I'm making you stay here!"

"Trust _me_, _your_ friend, when I say that I _need _to stick with you!" She pouted, crossing her arms indignantly. "I'm getting back on that Gummi ship!"

"No you are not! You are staying—" Sora stepped forward, grabbed a protesting Reni difficultly around the knees, hoisted her up, carried her over closer to the Accessory Shop, and dumped her there. "—here!" He panted heavily.

Reni glared at him from her position from the ground. He pointed at her as if she was a dog and he was commanding her.

"Stay," Sora ordered while slowly backing away towards Goofy and Donald. She did nothing but glare at him and pout.

Finally, Sora turned around and walked out the world exit with Donald following.

Only Donald.

Goofy hurriedly motioned for Reni to run over, and she quickly obeyed. The two couldn't help but smile excitedly as their master plan began.

Slowly, Goofy exited the world too into a Gummi Hangar while Reni crouched behind him. Thank god neither Sora nor Donald turned around as the other two entered the ship.

Silently, Reni hugged Goofy tightly in thanks, and scurried off down the hallway while Donald yelled at Goofy to sit down.

Reni squeezed herself back into the cheese-scented closet she was becoming all too familiar with.

- - -

"Oh god," Sora gasped after escaping the miles of heartless and finally reaching their destination—Wonderland. "I _never _want to do that again!" He picked himself off the ground, and staggered to the door.

"Hey!" Donald yelled, stopping Sora's motion. "Don't jump out too hastily!" The duck waddled almost drunkenly over to the door, a perfectly fine Goofy following.

Donald opened the Gummi door, then stuck his head out. "First look right," He looked right. "Then left," he looked left. Then he and Goofy happily walked out of the ship.

"Careful!" Goofy summed up for Sora.

"That's right!" Donald approved, nodding proudly.

Sora's eyes widened, and he yelled out, "Guys! Look down!" He reached forward and tried to yank Goofy back.

"Huh? Down?" Donald asked out loud. He and Goofy looked down at...the...floor?

Well, if nothingness was a floor, then yeah, they'd be looking at the floor.

...Meaning (for y'all idiots out there)...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Donald, Goofy, and Sora screamed as they went falling through the air, eventually slowing down.

Upon hearing the screams, Reni flung herself from the closet and into the cockpit.

"OKAY!! GET AWAY FROM TA FRIENDS AND NO ONE GETS HURT!" She aimed an arrow at where an enemy WOULD be if one was there. Blinking, she lowered it, and looked around. The ship was empty?!

"Oh crap..." Reni muttered, turning around and staring at the open door. She was the smart one, and saw that there was no floor either. Did they fall? "Ugh, when with idiots, do what the idiots do."

Reni took a deep breath, leaned forward, and fell gracefully out of the gummi ship.

...yeah right.

Reni, backed up, aimed for the door, and took a running start out of the door. Jumping out, she screamed, "COWABUNGA!!!" and plummeted downwards, her arms and legs being spaz-tastic in the rush of air.

...Okay, that's not true either...

Reni gingerly sat down on the edge with her legs dangling off into the nothingness. She bit her lip, and nearly let out a sob.

"I don't wanna jump!" She whined pitifully. Ugh, this was a difficult choice.

Internal fear of falling to death...mission...internal fear of falling to death...mission...

This would have been SO much easier if this was the cliff back home where you plummeted into clear water, instead of black emptiness.

She closed her eyes, and squeaked as she slid off the edge. Thinking she was falling rapidly through the air, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh—hey, wait a sec..." Reni blinked as she descended slowly. Her hair was even hanging down instead of trailing back.

Reni's face contorted to that of 'you've gotta be kidding me'.

Then to 'OH MY TUNA' when something grabbed her arm and yanked her to the side.

"AHH!" Reni screamed as she hit a floor. Wherever she was, it was pitch-dark, and there was someone in front of her. Reni instantly stood up and held her fists at the ready. "WHO ARE YOU?! WHERE AM I?!! I'LL TAKE YOU ALL O—"

"Cool it, Ren!" A familiar voice laughed. Her eyes widened and her eyes adjusted to the dark.

Upon realizing who it was, Reni squealed loudly.

"OH MY TUNA!!!" She glomped her old buddy. "NEKI!!!!!! We've been looking for you and Ri—"

"Ow!" Neki whined detangling herself from the younger girl. She rubbed her ears painfully. "Oh man, I forgot how loud you squealed...BUT I MISSED IT ALL THE SAME!!!" It was Neki's turn to glomp Reni.

Neki blinked a few times, then thrust Reni away from her. "Oh! Reni, Riku's with me! Come on!" She grabbed Reni's hand and tugged her somewhere beyond the young girl.

"You have Riku?!" Reni asked excitedly. "Do you have Kairi?!"

"Kinda," Neki answered curtly. "But that's classified info for the moment, little one! You didn't ask about Sora, though, so I'm guessing he's with you?"

Reni's pout was seeable even in the dark. "Used to be. He dumped me off at Traverse Town, but Goofy helped me get back on the Gummi Ship. I think he, Donald, Goofy fell out of the ship or something."

Neki stopped which caused Reni to trip a little. "Ronald and Luffy?"

Reni laughed, "Donald and Goofy! They were sent by King Mickey to protect the keyblade beare—Omigosh! That reminds me!" Reni yanked her own hand back and jumped up and down excitedly. "Sora's the 'him' King Mickey sent us to protect! Sora's the Keyblade Bearer!"

Neki stared for a few minutes. "But...never mind, let's go see Riku."

"Oh! Yes, Riku!" Reni grabbed Neki's hand and allowed herself to be led to her big brother.

- - -

**Meanwhile...**

"Uh, okay, I like, accidentally got you locked in a cage," Sora began, speaking to a blonde blue-eyed girl in...well, a cage. "But I PROMISE I'll prove you innocent! Justice is on our side! All right, do you believe in me?!" He smiled hopefully at her.

The blonde girl tapped her foot impatiently. "No."

"Oh come on, show me some love..."

- - -

**Somewhere in the Lotus Forest...**

"RIKUUUUU!!! RIKURIKURIKURIKUUUU!!!" Reni tumbled out of the dark portal and squeezed Riku tightly nearly hurting her OWN arms. "I missed you, man! You and Neki! Where were you guys??? I was so worr—" Riku managed to squeeze his right arm out of Reni's death-grip, and pinch her lips together with his hand.

"Crap you freaked me out..." Riku breathed, his eyes wide. "Hey, shortstuff," He pushed her away slightly and smiled at his little sister. "What's up?"

"Uh, Riku, how about we skip the chit-chat and hurry up?" Neki asked just as excited as Reni. Riku raised an eyebrow.

"Hurry up what?" He asked, causing Neki to raise an eyebrow too.

"Ugh, get over here you big lug," Neki pulled him over to somewhere away from Reni.

Reni watched from afar as they began whispering, feeling very much like the times when her friends would plan out surprise parties for her and would have to leave her somewhere. Looking around to get a sense of her surroundings, Reni smiled, thinking happily.

_I have Sora, found Riku and Neki,_ Reni thought silently grinning. _and Riku and Neki have Kairi somewhere...I can't wait to go home. Or, well, travel with everyone together while Sora's being all Keybearer-ish._

Her thoughts were interrupted when Neki dragged Riku back to them.

"Okay! Reni, are you ready for the question that will change your destiny?!" Neki asked, jumping from side to side.

Reni raised her eyebrows in surprise, and thinking it was a truth or dare question, smiled and said, "Shoot it!"

Neki smiled insanely and asked so quickly Reni almost missed it, "DoyouwanttojointheGroupOfVillainssowecanrecoverKairi'sheart,findalltheprincessesofheart,andgohome?!!!" Reni blinked.

"Who, what, when, where, and huh?" The younger inquired stupidly.

Neki opened her mouth to start again, but Riku slapped his hand over her mouth, and stated, "She said, 'Do you want to join the Group Of Villains so we can recover Kairi's heart, find all the princesses of heart, and go home'."

"Oh...well, it makes more sense when you sa—" Reni stopped in mid-sentence. "Wait a sec—WHAT?!!"

- - -

**Meanwhile, again...**

"Hey! Don't cry! Oh my god, don't cry!!!" Sora bit his lip in panic as Alice began to cry hysterically in her cage. "You won't get beheaded! I _swear! _And uh...you...look nice! Yeah! You look AWESOME! Blue brings out your eyes!"

Sora sighed in relief as the girl began to quiet down.

"Hey you! No talking to prisoners!" A card soldier (a six of diamonds) yelled. Sora made a face at it.

"Fine, let's go look for clues in that forest over there." Trio left a crying Alice to look for clues to prove her innocence.

- - -

"But I can't!" Reni whined, to Neki and Riku. She felt like falling on the ground, kicking and screaming, because it was so unfair.

"Why not?!" Neki whined back, pouting.

"Because!" Reni cried, completely ready to throw herself on the floor and throw a tantrum. "The mission! The 'him'! Sora's the 'him'! I need to stay with him! Come with _me_!"

Riku was about to say something, but he heard talking coming from the entrance to the Lotus forest, and froze. "Shhh, someone's coming..."

Neki used her super amazing ear abilities to pick out Sora's voice as the voice they were all hearing. "Oh no, he _can't_ find us!" Neki whispered hurriedly as Riku made a dark portal for them to escape. Both him and Neki stepped inside. However they both turned around and held a hand out for Reni.

Reni blinked a few times, staring at the outstretched hands. She turned her gaze up to their begging faces—Neki even looked like she was going to cry. Reni didn't understand...

She took a step back and shook her head, motioning for them to go. "I won't tell him anything," She whispered.

Neki bit her lip, but Riku nodded and dragged the girl through the portal, it closing up just as Sora arrived.

Sora began to blink rapidly when he saw Reni.

"...RENI??!!" The said girl whipped around and shrieked as Sora stomped towards her. "I THOUGHT IT TOLD YOU TO STAY AT TRAVERSE TOWN!!!" Reni began to run, and Sora followed. However, she ran in panicked circles, so they were basically playing duck duck goose.

"INEEDTOBEWITHYOU!" Reni screamed over and ever again while Sora shouted, "WHYAREYOUHERE?!"

"What is so fragile that even saying it's name will break it?" a sly voice called from somewhere behind the group. Everyone stopped what they were doing and saw a purple striped cat.

"Uhm..." Donald began, thinking deeply. "...a..."

"Ah-hyuck!" Goofy laughed. "Silence!"

Donald turned to Goofy, looking very offended. "What?"

"What's so fragile that even sayin' it's name will break it is silence!" Goofy answered, giggling. Everyone except Goofy and the striped cat blinked rapidly.

"Ohhhhhhhh, I get it!" Reni gasped happily.

"Yeah! Me too!" Sora smiled happily.

"I don't," Donald griped. "It's confusing me..."

"Oh, come on, Donald!" Sora whined impatiently. "It's easy! How in the world could that confuse you?"

"Really?" The cat spoke again, stealing everyone's attention. "That may or may not be true. The Cheshire Cat knows everything. All you have to do is avoid getting confused." The 'Cheshire Cat' grinned widely.

Sora paused. "Huh? How do you avoid getting confused?"

"Well, you're obviously confused about it," The Cheshire Cat quipped. "Try to avoid that."

"...but how—"

"Ummm, this is kinda stupid," Reni whined.

"Stupidity isn't in the situation, but in the eye of the beholder," The Cheshire Cat beamed at the blonde girl as she attempted to figure out what he just said.

Attempt being the key word.

- - -

"Why didn't she come with us?!" Neki complained loudly, stomping around the Tea Party Garden. Riku sat on the table as she crushed a dandelion.

"You of all people should know that she's a very strong-minded kid." He reasoned. "She's told to do something and she WILL do it no matter what."

"YES, but she usually follows me..." Neki turned her pouting face to him. "I miss my little mindless lamb..." Riku sighed deeply, and held out his hands for her. She reached out and grabbed onto them, being pulled into his lap.

"We all miss our mindless little lamb, but that little lamb is turning into an independent sheep," Riku was slightly proud of his little analogy. "It might be better off this way for us anyways...She can keep an eye on Sora while we search for Kairi's heart, the princesses of heart, and a way to go home."

Neki blinked a few times, pouting still. "Why didn't we want Sora to see us anyways? Something just told me Sora wasn't allowed to see us."

Sighing again, Riku said, "Sora, in a way, is working against us. We just have to work in the shadows—where they can't see us. For now, we're darkness."

- - -

((A/N: Please ignore this MAJOR time-skip n.n;;;))

"And this one shall be labeled..." Reni squinted as she scribbled on a pink box with a marker. "...Stench! There, now—Oh, SUCK IT UP Sora! It didn't smell THAT bad!" She and Donald rolled their eyes as Sora crouched over the ledge of a lily pad platform, retching violently.

"No, trust me, it smelled THAT bad!" Sora groaned, staggering back up. Wiping his mouth on his shirt (and grossing Reni out), he asked, "Ugh, think we got enough evidence?"

Reni looked at the 3 boxes Goofy carried, and the newly found one in her hand. "Yeah, let's go free Alison."

"Alice."

"Close enough." Reni jumped down to the ground (carefully avoiding vomit) and the others followed suit. Everyone passed the evidence to Sora, who then led the way to the Queen's courtroom.

Upon entering, the Queen glared at Reni and demanded, "Who is THIS skimpy wench?"

Reni's eyebrows went up in offense. "Excuse moi?"

"She's the assistant lawyer," Sora interrupted, pushing the fuming blonde over to the defendant stand. Once everyone was up there, he cleared his throat. "I believe we have enough evidence to prove Alice is innocent!"

The Queen glared at them lazily. "Set out all the evidence." Sora did so, and re-took his spot on the defendant stand. "And here's my evidence." The Queen leaned forward long enough to toss her box on the ground. The cards ran forward and set them all in a straight line.

"Hrmmm," the Queen began. "Opening all boxes will take too long...very well," She leaned back. "You, boy, open one box and we will decide if that evidence is good enough." She demanded.

Sora glanced at his friends, but jumped down and picked the box on the far left. Upon opening it, a soldier heartless popped out! Just as quickly as it had come, it disappeared. The Queen looked shocked.

"Wh-what was THAT?!" She shrieked, pointing her heart scepter at the box.

"That, your majesty," Sora said almost mockingly. "is your culprit. Now set Alice free!"

The Queen began to shake with anger, until she finally stood up and screamed, "Alice is guilty because I say so!" She nodded angrily at a card soldier (the same six of diamonds), who nodded back, and pulled a rope causing a heavy red curtain to swing around and hide Alice from view. The trapped girl squeaked at the suddenness, and squeaked even louder when the same card soldier pushed a crank, forcing her cage to go flying up and above anyone's reach.

Another card ran over and grabbed Reni from behind and dragged her, kicking and screaming, away.

"Hey!" Sora yelled in protest as they threw her into something resembling a jail cell off to the side.

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!"

A tower came shooting up out of the ground.

The battle was on.

- - -

Neki and Riku silently crept out of the dark portal into the courtroom, and to their relief, saw Sora and his friends fighting too hard to notice.

"Shh, I see the cage, come on," Riku whispered to Neki, silently creeping back into the portal, and closing the opening. Then he scooted over to the right and opened another portal, this time up at Alice's level.

The two leaned over, pushing the red curtain away, and saw a passed-out Alice. They sighed—at least they didn't have to worry about her screaming. Riku tried to pry the cage door open, but no use.

"Riku, there's a lock," Neki pointed at a padlock keeping the cage locked shut. Riku stamped his foot in frustration. Neki sighed, and looked around, trying to see if there was anything to break the lock. Upon looking around, she saw Reni, trapped in a cage of her own but at a lower level giving her a look of 'you shouldn't be here'.

Neki bit her lip, and motioned at the lock to Reni—a sad attempt of telling Reni she needed Alice, but the cage was locked. Luckily, Reni understood, and glanced back at the still fighting Sora.

Silently pleading with her eyes, Neki asked Reni to shoot the padlock with an arrow—help them out just this once.

Reni looked back up at Neki like she was ready to cry, but got out her bow and arrow, waving her hands as if to say 'get out of the way'.

Neki and Riku backed up out of the way as Reni drew back her arrow, aiming carefully.

Swooop!

The padlock went tumbling to the ground, and the door popped ajar.

Neki smiled as Riku grabbed Alice and carried her into the portal. "You go ahead, I have to thank Reni," She told him, and Riku obeyed, turning around and leaving.

Neki leaned out of the portal again, beaming down at Reni...who wasn't beaming back. Neki stopped smiling when she realized Reni was glaring at her.

Reni was sending Neki a message. And Neki read it loud and clear.

"Thanks for betraying me—now we're enemies."

Reni turned around and fired a few more arrows at some Card Soldiers.

Neki, feeling her heart sink, backed out of the open and into the dark portal where she closed it. Now she was in complete darkness.

Neki broke down sobbing, and no one was there to comfort her.

- - -

Now Sora and the group were in the gummi ship, discussing going to Olympus Collisuem—all except for Reni, who was in her own personal room crying silently.

_I can't believe she would go AWOL on our mission, _Reni sniffed horrendously, stuffing her nose up. _We were a team...and she joins the darkness..._

_How can we possibly work together now?! I'm light, she's dark..._

_...I wanna go home..._

_...this is a nightmare..._

_...it will end..._

_...I'll make it end..._

- - -

Light: Whoa...are you EMO?

Rainy: No...not really...Oh, and by the way, that last author note was written about...about three weeks ago maybe? My sleeping pattern is normal again, so I'm good.

Light: But there was so much ANGST.

Rainy: n.n I write good angst, no?

Light: Yeah, but...you...ANGST!!!!

Rainy: READ AND REVIEW!!!

Light: I LIKE YELLING!!!!!!!!

The next chapter shall be written by...

Light of Heaven!

Read and review!


	4. Chapter 4

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Light: I GET TO WRITE CLOUD!!!

Rainy: Yes you do!

Light: CLOUD!!! -squeals-

Rainy: Yes…

Light: -evil grin- I shall make him SMILE!!!

Rainy –sweatdrop- Right, you do that. How about starting on the chapter in the meantime.

Light: But…

Rainy: But what?

Light: We haven't made an exceedingly weird and random joke for this authoress' note!

Rainy: So?

Light: IT IS REQUI—

Chapter 4

It was only when he already had Alice locked up in her little pod cage thing that Riku noticed Neki wasn't with him, "Huh?" Starting to leave, he thought of all the places and things she could be doing, "Hiding, picking on Hades, yelling at Ansem, fighting with Maleficent. Yeah, that's probably the one."

But Neki wasn't anywhere in the vicinity on the black and purple clad woman. Nor was she near any of the other villains. Not even her sort of villain best friend, Ursula. Don't ask Riku why Neki hung out with her, for he didn't know. He truly didn't know.

Obviously stumped, he decided to check outside. No where. Then he checked the gardens. No sign of her. Then the library. Not a single trace of the girl seemed to exist! Frustrated that he couldn't even manage to find Neki without resorting to someone's help, he stalked up the stairs to their room. His anger only grew as he neared the top and heard the shower in their room running.

"She was here the whole time!" Yanking open the door, he glared daggers at the bathroom door as he jumped and landed on his bed, causing it to squeak loudly. He shoved his lime green pillow onto his face, then blinked and pulled it back. Green…? When did they get green in their room? Sitting up, he noticed that there where a lot of new colors dictating different sides of the room. On his side there where shades of greens and blues, along with a small amount of yellow. Neki's side sported the usual reds and blues, but dashes of purple here and there. Most of the room was still covered in black, but the colors did make the room seem larger.

Suddenly, the sound of water ceased, and he heard the sounds of Neki drying herself and getting dressed, heating his face just the slightest bit. She emerged from the bathroom, garbed in her regular black spaghetti strap tank top and her red tube top over that, with her dark blue faded jeans and red skater shoes. Her hair was done in the usual fashion tool; left down with a few strands of bangs covering her left eye.

She blinked slowly, not really noticing his existence, and headed to her bed, where she picked up a small notebook and a pencil and a pen. Blinking again, she fixed him with a stare, complete with even more blinking. He was transfixed by that stare, and watched her warily for sudden squeals or glomps.

None of which came.

Instead, Neki switched her gaze to the door and headed out without a word. The back of Riku's neck prickled in that way that told him something was definitely wrong. Standing, he followed her out as she descended the stairs and found her way to the scrying room, where Maleficent and the group huddled, whispering to each other. Riku raised an eyebrow as Neki left that room without even a glare at the GoV and continued her random hike through out the castle, finally stopping as she reached the highest accessible point of the whole place.

Silently, she sat down, opened the notebook, took up the pen, and wrote in quick jerky movements of her wrist. Riku stood behind her, not daring to say anything for fear of breaking the trance that Neki seemed to be in. Leaning over her shoulder carefully, he was able to see what was written.

_Reni,_

_I can't tell you what Wonderland did to my psyche. I can understand that you'd be angry with me for the path I followed, but what other choice did I have? You don't know these people like I do now. If I hadn't agreed, they surely would have killed me on the spot! Agreeing with their terms was the only thing I could do to survive! I'm sure you feel like I abandoned you, and that's partially true, and all my fault._

_If this letter finds its way to you, please know that will all my heart, I love you little one._

_Forgive me._

_Neki_

Riku was unnerved, and backed away slowly, feeling as if he had just invaded too far into her privacy. Before she could notice, he fled back the way they came, intent on finding a way to make her forget whatever happened at Wonderland.

He couldn't stand her like this…

He had to fix it…

He had to.

- - - -

"Reni?" A timid warble came from the doorway to her room. She mumbled something under her breath, and pulled her covers further over her head, "Reni…" The voice tried again. Reni recognized it as Donald's voice, but only barely. Her mind was elsewhere, on happy days, on sunny beaches, on weekly picnics, on rafts, on darkness, on nothing. Her mind was on betrayal, on pain, on sadness, on Neki.

"Neki…"

Her mind was on the blood hair, the hazel eyes, the loopy grin, and the cheerful words that was Neki. The hilarious scowl, the comforting hug, the warming words, and the playful glomp that was her best friend. The one constant thing in her life. The one thing that never seemed to change.

That was all over now.

"Reni?" It was Goofy this time. Reni still refused to respond, or more likely, didn't know she was being talked to. She simply continued to murmur to her pillow that the chicken tasted like cheese, the cheese tasted like pork, and the pork tasted like pixie stix, "Reni?" The voice was persistent. It called a few more times before finally giving up.

Her mind was on stupid pranks, cracked up logic, fruitless hunts, and random adventures. On lazy days, eventful afternoons, and sleepless nights. On school projects that ended up looking so colorful you had to wear sunglasses to see it. On rainy days doing random puzzles that were never finished. On cooking projects that left them sleepless for weeks.

All gone.

It was all gone.

"Reni."

This voice was commanding. It was asking her to acknowledge it. It was telling her to. Mechanically, she sat up, the blanket falling in a heap in her lap, and in a raspy tone asked what.

"Get up."

She did as she was told, standing to face the form illuminated in her doorway, wearing not but her pink pajama shorts and a baggy white t-shirt. Her face was streaked with lines from the tears that she had been crying. Her hair was knotted and in dire need of a brushing. Her eyes were empty.

"Reni…"

Reni choked back a sob. He was pitying her. He thought she was weak. He thought that she couldn't help. He was against her. She was against her. They all were against her. They just wanted her out of the way. They didn't care. Nobody cared.

"Are you okay?"

_Like you care_, she thought scornfully, but sad nothing. Instead she glared and looked away.

"What happened in Wonderland?"

Reni visibly stiffened, which only increased his curiosity.

"Tell me. Did you see anyone?"

What did it matter to him. She promised. But of course she made a promise to a traitor, so she could tell him. Or she couldn't and make him suffer not knowing what was befalling his dear friend and sister. Like she cared. He didn't care. Nobody cared.

"Reni."

"SHUT UP!" she barked, fresh tears flying from her eyes as she ran forward and tackled him to the ground, "SHUT UP SORA! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" She gripped his shirt tighter and pounded him against the ground as hard as she could, "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! JUST SHUT UP! Shut Up! Shut up! Shut up…" Reni sniffed as she gazed down at Sora, who's head was now profusely bleeding. Yet he didn't make any attempt to stop her.

Why didn't he try to stop her? Why was he hugging her? Why was he telling her it would be alright? Why? Why?

"Why?"

"I care."

"Liar!" she hissed as more tears flooded forth, "Liar, liar, liar…"

Sora looked down at Reni, who seemed so small, curled up in a ball in his arms, crying her eyes out. For what reason, he didn't know. But he didn't like it when she cried. It just didn't seem…Right.

"Why would I lie?"

Reni just replied by wetting his shirt with fresh tears, the sobs shaking her body, "I want Neki back. With me. With you. With us. I just want her back…"

Sora gaped at her, not knowing what to say. He rubbed her back as she continued to cry, her moaning the only sound to be heard in the empty gummy ship. Donald and Goofy had left to Traverse Town for supplies for Olympus Coliseum. As her cries turned into hiccups and sniffles, she sat up, rubbing her eyes free of any water.

"We'll get her back."

Reni fixed him with a skeptical look, but nevertheless said, "Promise?" Sora smiled the trademark loopy grin and nodded.

"I promise. Now," Reni raised an eyebrow, "how would you like to come beat up some Heartless with me?"

Reni bobbed her head happily, and smiled, "Yeah!"

"Are you sure?"

Reni nodded.

"Are you REALLY sure?"

Reni nodded again.

"Are you REALLY REALLY—"

Reni jumped up and yelled, "YES! NOW LET'S GO ALREADY!"

Sora laughed and stood, allowing Reni to bandage his head until they could get to Aerith's, Reni apologizing all the while, "I didn't even know you had it in you!" Reni responded with a light laugh.

"Well you know what they say; a person's lowest point is when they are at their strongest."

Sora didn't contradict her. She was living proof of that after all.

"Sora…"

Sora stopped and turned to face her, Donald and Goofy waiting in front of the Hotel for the duo, "What's up?"

"Thanks."

He smiled and held out his hand, "It's what I do."

- - - -

Neki crept silently through the world gate of Olympus Coliseum, not wanting to be seen nor heard. Stealthily, she followed a large crowd of spectators through the gate to the stands, eyeing possible places for her cargo as she went. She sat, inaudibly as she watched a tanned buff-ish man fight a monster, who's name she didn't know. She did know that it belonged to Hades.

After the man, Hercules, won, she filed out with the group, lounging around outside with a small group of teens about her age. She continued looking for places as the group talked about the tough competitor Hercules was supposed to fight tomorrow. Neki knew that it was Cloud. Hades had hired him. Neki had made sure to hid whenever she saw someone with blonde hair. Though she knew that if she saw Cloud, he'd keep it a secret for her. He was always nice like that.

The group was moving again, back towards the stands. Neki's guessed that there was going to be a special fight of some sorts. She didn't know who it was, but she heard from a group of elderly people that they were 'junior heroes'. Neki shrugged and took a spot near the back. It might be a nice fight to keep her mind of what she came to do.

At least she could try…

- - - -

"Junior heroes!" Reni squealed happily, hugging the license close to her chest. Sora smiled and chuckled to himself.

"And just think," he said with his own huge grin, "One day we'll be real heroes!" That was answered with another squeal from Reni and a glare from Phil.

"Are you two even listening to the rules?" the shrimpy goat man growled. Reni pretended to tear up.

"I-I'm so-sorr-sorry! I-I did-idn't mean to m-make you m-m-m-mad!"

Sora suppressed a smirk. He forgot how good of an actress Reni was. She even got Goofy to glare at Phil!

"Sorry!" Phil cried, waving his chubby arms defensively, "Go on in already! Just stop crying!"

"Okay!" Reni piped and led the way through. Sora stopped before Phil, grinning like a mad man.

"She got you good."

"Shut up kid!"

Sora did as he was told and went into the arena for their fight.

- - - -

Neki blinked.

Blonde hair. Pink dress. Blue eyes. Spastic jumping around.

"Oh no."

She rubbed her eyes, to make sure her conscience wasn't playing tricks on her.

No it was Reni alright, because there was Sora.

Neki blinked again.

And a walking dog and duck…

Okay, maybe Riku was right, and she was crazy.

In any event, she had to get out of there before Reni noticed her. Tuna knows what that would cause…

She stood up, excusing herself whenever she bumped into someone's leg, and bolted down the steps as fast as she could without raising any suspicion.

Reni, Sora and Donald were really getting the crowd going, and boosting their egos for that matter, _As if Sora's could **get** any bigger…_ She laughed lightly, watching her two friends lovingly from the doorway as they fought round after round of Heartless, "They're getting so strong!"

"She has gotten stronger, hasn't she Neki."

Neki stiffened and whipped around, brandishing her fists. Blinking, she registered the tall figure before her, "Cl-Cloud?!"

He raised an eyebrow, and in a mimicking, yet friendly tone, he said back, "Ne-Neki?!" She glared and punched his arms as hard as she could, but wasn't surprised when he didn't even flinch, "Why aren't you in there rooting for her?"

Neki's face took on a pained expression and she lowered her gaze, "I can't. She hates me."

"I find that hard to believe."

Neki looked up at him ludicrously, "I see you're more talkative than usual." Cloud again raised an eyebrow.

"I see you still have a tendency to change topics." She blushed fire red at that and looked away again. She was about to retort when an idea crossed her mind. Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out folded piece of notebook paper with Reni's name written on it.

"Cloud," she looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Can you give this to Reni for me?" He fixed her with a look, which she refused to meet, and sighed.

"You've changed too, haven't you."

It wasn't a question.

"I guess so."

"Fine."

"Thank you."

She moved to doorway once more, just as Reni and Sora were preparing to fight the last boss. Cloud moved beside her, "That's my cue."

"Go easy on her, okay?"

He looked over his shoulder, which she wished he didn't, and gave her a smirk, "You owe me one then." She gave him a half assed smirk in reply.

"If you say so…"

- - - -

Reni grinned in a psycho manner as the fans screamed and chanted the groups names. She looked about the stadium with a crazed look, her eyes settling on a tall blonde with spiky hair, "Oh my tuna…" He walked forward slightly, then stopped, and looked at something over his shoulder. Reni followed his gaze and felt her mouth, and her heart, drop.

Neki was there.

Reni blinked and rubbed her eyes. Neki was still there. Except now she was looking at her. And she looked… Scared? Reni didn't understand, but before she could do much more than call out her name, Cloud entered the arena, and fixed her with a look.

"Long time no see, Reni."

Sora blinked and looked at the two strangely, "Reni, is he from your home world?" Reni didn't even notice that she nodded, she just kept staring at Neki, who continued to stare back with that frightened expression. Neki finally broke the staring contest, as she looked away, obviously pained, but Reni didn't care. She could feel her blood boiling at the thought of that traitor being so close.

Then she remembered something from her home world, and turned to glare at Cloud.

"You smirked for her didn't you."

"No."

Reni rolled her eyes, "Oh, yeah right! You _always_ smirk for her! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

Cloud simply shook his head, and Reni was forced to fight her instinct to stare at the gravity defying spikes as they didn't budge even when he shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Her eye twitched spastically, "ZEEKY BOOGIE DOOG NEENERS WALLA WALLA BING BANG!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Sora, Donald, and Goofy all exchanged looks before busting up laughing from the random string of words. Reni puffed out her chest defensively when Cloud didn't even twitch with laughter. As the wheezing trio of boys behind her quieted down, she glared daggers at Cloud, "SEE?!?!?"

She then saw her escape to catch Neki.

"GRRR!!! I'M SO MAD!" Reni screamed and made several random gestures with her hands, "I'll be waiting in the gummy ship if you need me." Reni snuffed her nose up in the hair at Cloud and walked past like a diva, making sure to flip her hair before she was out of sight.

Thank you pissed of Aerith!

Sora blinked, processing the information fully before shouting a little bit too late, "NOW WAIT JUST A DARN MINUTE!"

"Shall we?" Asked Cloud. Sora looked at him, utterly defeated.

Shrugging, Sora got in his battle stance, "Might as well. She's not coming back until after the important battles. Chocolate girl always does this."

And the battle ensued.

- - - -

Neki was waiting in the area outside the lobby with the world gate. A dark portal was opened behind her, and she was constantly blinking. Reni looked at the tousled girl and was almost sympathetic.

"Neki," Reni glared at the older girl with all the anger she had at the moment, conveying it into a message that anyone could read.

Why are _you_ here.

"Reni," Neki replied courteously. Her stare was blank again, but she was still blinking.

A stand-off followed. Neither daring to speak, for fear of losing face. Neither dared to move, for fear of losing ground. Neither dared to look away, for fear of losing heart.

Finally, Neki spoke; quietly, slowly, picking her words carefully, so as not to anger her younger counterpart further, if that was possible at this point, "Cloud. He has something for you. Pick it up while Sora is fighting Hades."

Reni blinked in a moment of surprise, "Hades?"

"The guy with the blue flame hair. He hired Cloud to exterminate Hercules, and also Sora."

She understood then, "So he's one of _yours_," she stressed the last word, and by Neki's inadvertent flinch, got the desired effect.

"Yes." Neki said in a monotone, "He's one of mine."

Reni looked away, "I better go then. If I have to go get this thing from Cloud."

"By your leave," Neki said formally, as she bowed lowly, obviously surprising Reni. With that, she backed into the dark portal which closed behind her.

"Reni."

Reni turned around to see Cloud standing at the doorway to the lobby, a folded piece of paper in his hand.

"A letter?"

"Yes."

She walked forward and grabbed the letter a little too harshly, opening it up in a hurry and read though it. Then read it again. Then again. Then once more just to make sure it was the bona fide real deal.

It was.

Reni ought back the tears as she became even more confused than before.

…_So she's not evil…?_

…_It's just a front…?_

…_But how can I be sure…?_

…_It's not like I can ask her about it…_

…_Can I…?_

…_Oh tuna…_

…_Why me…?_

…_Why me…?_

"Reni."

"What?" She snapped at him.

"I don't know all of what's going on, but I can tell you than Neki still has your best interests at heart. You'll do well to remember that."

With that he was gone.

Left all alone, Reni sat down on the steps near the world gate.

"Why me?"

- - - -

"Neki!"

Neki blinked at the sudden appearance of Riku, "What?"

"Where have you been? Maleficent has finished your new weapon! You need to hurry and get acquainted with it so you won't be useless in battle." He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the scrying room, where Maleficent and the other GoV members, save fore Hades, stood waiting. The witch held a dual bladed staff in her hands. Neki guessed that was for her.

The staff itself was made out of dark chestnut colored oak wood, and the blades, paper thin but dreadfully sharp, were attached with bands of black hills gold. The blades were made of onyx colored metal, most likely steel, with a silver design that mimicked the shape of the blade.

Beautiful and deadly.

How fitting.

Neki stepped forward, and Maleficent held the staff out for Neki to take. It was a foot taller than her with the blades, and upon closer inspection, Neki saw that she could separate the staff into two different sword-like pieces that were connected by a sturdy chain. She blinked, and made eye contact with the witch, "It won't try to kill me will it?" Neki asked skeptically.

Maleficent smiled wickedly, "What use are you to me dead?"

Neki smiled back with more malice, "Good point."

The group dispersed after that, and Neki unsummoned the staff. Riku took up place beside her.

"What?"

"Where did you go?"

"Does it matter to you?" Neki bit. Riku flinched, and looked at her.

"Are you alright?" Neki answered with a glare, "I guess that means no."

"You're an idiot."

Riku raised an eyebrow at her, "What brings this on?"

"It's your damned fault that I'm stuck here, with a bunch of old evil people, and you!" Neki growled, "I should be with Reni, completing my mission as I was sent to do. But you had to go and turn on the charm, and get me so caught up in you that I forgot about what I was supposed to be doing. And know I've lost everything." She twisted away from him, so he couldn't see that she had started to cry, "This is all your fault."

He reached out a hand to comfort her, but flinched again when she recoiled from his touch, "Neki. I'm sorry…But there's nothing more I can do."

"You can help me make Reni understand," Riku watched her back as she shook violently from her sobbing, "I want Reni to know that this isn't my fault…It's not my fault…" She fell to the ground in a heap, "It's not my fault…Not my fault…Not my fault…"

Riku bent down and gathered the delusional girl in his arms, straining just a little to stand up. He opened a portal to their bedroom and stepped through, placing her on his bed. Lumbering in next to her, she snuggled up against his body warmth.

"Not my fault…" she murmured, sleepy from her sob session.

"I know. Neki, god I know. We'll get Beaver back to normal soon. I promise. Then we'll make Reni understand, and the five of us will go home and live together on the island like we did when we were little." He smoothed her hair down, and kissed her still wet cheek, "Everything will be alright."

She mumbled something incoherently and pressed her face deeper into his chest. He smiled sadly, and hugged her tight.

"Please let everything turn out all right…"

- - - -

"Hey Reni!" She snapped her attention and pretended to look around wildly for something, "Reni!" She turned on her heels to face a scowling Sora, a glaring Donald, and a placid Goofy.

"What's up guys?"

"What's up? WHAT'S UP?!?" Sora cried heatedly, "WHERE WERE YOU?!?!?"

Reni blinked and scanned her brain for a legitimate excuse, "Well you see, there was this puppy that I saw on my way to the gummy ship, and it was just OH SO CUTE!!! You know the kind of puppy that just BEGS to be petted and fed? Well it was that kind of puppy. Anyway, I petted it for a little bit, then decided that I just HAD to feed it, so I ran off to find some meat. But then I remembered that someone said it was bad for dogs to eat raw meat, so I had to find someplace to cook it. Then after that, I had to cut it up and put it in a bowl with a little of the juices left in for flavor, and a sprig of parsley on top for finesse! After that I had to wait for it to finish eating because it's only proper to wash a dish after you've used it, so then I did that and petted the puppy some more. Then he left somewhere, and I was looking for him when you guys showed up!" The blonde smiled smugly at the dumbfounded expressions she received.

"You're…joking, right? That CAN'T be true!" Sora said in an astonished tone, with a hint of non-belief mixed in.

"But it IS true! I named him Fred!" Reni countered. Sora continued to stare at the girl as if she was more of an idiot than usual.

Then Goofy made it all worse—for Sora and Donald anyway—by asking, "Why Fred?"

Reni shrugged, "He just looked like a Fred! Sora, why are you smashing your head against the wall? You could go unconscious!"

Sora smacked his head repeatedly against the wall even harder, "That's—THUD—the—WHAM—POINT—BAM!!"

After that he lost consciousness and had to be dragged to the gummy ship…

- - - -

Neki yawned, stretching her arms as high as they would go, "Nice nap!" Grinning, she looked about the room, as if it was all brand new. Sighing, she stood and walked over to the dresser, getting a change of her normal clothes, then went to the bathroom to take a shower and change.

She didn't know what it was about Riku's speech last night, but something about it just made her feel right. Like everything _would_ be okay. She ran a brush through her hair quickly, styling it like usual, and headed down to the scrying room, were Riku was alone. The other villains must not be up yet.

Hugging him around the middle, she whispered into his ear, "Whatever it is you did, thank you."

"It's the least I can do, Neki."

"But it's not yet enough."

Riku turned in her embrace, and wrapped his own arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him, "I figured as much…"

- - - -

Reni paced the length of her room robotically. Sora sat on the bed watching her as she went about. Walk one way, stop, mutter something under breath, walk to other side, stop, more mumbling, repeat. It had been like this for the past hour since they had gotten back on the gummy ship. They were currently headed for Agrabah, and Sora was trying to get Reni to make dinner.

But alas, she was stuck to pacing like a broken record.

"What in the world is wrong with you Reni?" Sora asked, more to himself than to the oblivious girl who continued to pace.

…_but Neki is family, and she means the world to me, but on the other hand I can't possible be seen with someone of the dark side, but we've been together so long, but we were supposed to follow the mission no matter what, but she is in love with him, but she should have known better than to get distracted, but even my judgment has been clouded over, but she should have come with me and not Riku, but she did swear loyalty to them, but she swore loyalty to King Mickey first, but…_

Ah, Sora, I'm not sure you want to know…Not at all…

End

Light: YOU CUT ME OFF!!!

Me: So?

Rainy: Misse?!? Oo….

Me: What?

Rainy: Nothing…

Light: I SHALL SEEK REVENGE!!! –tackles me-

Me: THE CHOCOLATE! –poofs away-

Light: Now that's just not fair…

Rainy: ANYWAY!

Light: Right! Anyway, that was a VERY angst-y chapter on my part, and I apologize for the lack of humor. –bows- I'm not allowed a large amount of angst or EMO-ness until the final chapters, so have no fear!

Rainy: Thought I'm not sure if we have the EMO/angst cabinet locked up enough to stop you…-stare- You wouldn't happen to have any EMO-ness on you, would you?

Light: -shifty eyed- No…

Rainy: Hand it over.

Light: NEVER!!! IT'S MINE EMO-NESS!!! MIIINEEE!!! –runs in circles insanely-

Rainy: That's it. The EMO-ness has gone to her head. –takes out cell phone- Riku? Get the safety room and the straight jacket ready…She's coming back.

Light: IT'S MIIINEEE!!!

Next chapter's authoress: Black Rainy

Don't forget to review!

Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Rainy: I GET TO WRITE ABU, KAIRI, AND RIKU!!!!! AGAIN!!!!! like usual...

Light: ...right...now, write.

Rainy: 'kay.

- - -

The Trials of Light and Dark

Chapter 5

Sora sat in a chair near the gummi ship window, staring out of it worriedly. He hadn't found Riku, Kairi, nor Neki, Reni was just plain acting strange, and to top it all off he was the keybearer. Not to mention there was this annoying gut feeling telling him to go to Traverse Town. Something was telling Sora that something or someone would be there.

"Sora! Smile!" Donald scolded the boy from the hallway following Reni into the cockpit. "Do you want us to be stranded out here for forever?! Now, where are we going now?" Donald stared at Sora expectantly.

When no one said anything, Reni spoke up, "How about we go to Traverse Town and stock up? Y'all used up most of our potions fighting Cerberus." Sora shrugged in agreement and Donald took his spot as the driver. Goofy and Sora took the seats winging Donald's, and Reni went back into her room for a small nap.

- - -

"So...you found one of the keyholes?" Leon asked setting his gunblade down. Sora nodded while Reni scrunched her face up from the icky damp smell of Leon's personal training area—that sewer thingeh, remember?

"Yep," Goofy confirmed, clapping a hand on Sora's shoulder. "An' Sora locked it right up!"

"That he did!" Donald piped up, looking rather proud.

Reni shrugged and nodded.

Leon smiled slightly. "Good, good...all I can say is to keep locking keyholes...now go up to Cid, he's got a thing he wants you guys to do." The group nodded and left Leon to train.

Trudging their way out of the training area and into the alley, Sora sighed with anticipation.

"I keep feeling that _something's _gonna happen..." He explained as they walked out to the Second District's Square. "...I hope it isn't anything bad."

"Well, let's ignore that and go do whatever Cid wanted us to do," Donald stated firmly walking up the stairs with the gang in tow.

"He probably wants us to clean his bathroom," Sora murmured to Reni, and she snorted up giggles.

Meanwhile, up above them, Riku and Neki watched from atop a building.

"Who are they?" Riku asked sharply, glaring at the two animal-like beings traveling with Sora and Reni.

"I think Reni called them 'Donald' and 'Goofy'," The blonde girl responded just as icily. She waited a few seconds and watched as the group below entered the first district. "How about we get down from here before Maleficent comes by?" Riku nodded and the two straightened, jumping lightly off the roof and onto the pathway below.

"So I'm guessing you're angry at Reni again?" Riku sighed as they walked down the stairs.

"Nah," Neki replied waving her hand. "Just a little fed up with her. I'm going to try to talk to her again soon," she looked over at him. "You think that's a good idea?"

Riku shrugged. "I dunno—but Reni's stubborn, she's going to stick to the fact she thinks she's right no matter what." Riku stopped walking and thought for a moment. "Should I try to talk to Sora?"

Neki nodded, smiling, "Why not? You can't tell him anything, though."

"Oh I wouldn't tell him squat even if my life depended on it," Riku sighed, then waved Neki away. "I think they're coming out soon, so if you want to stay hidden, better get out of here." Neki nodded in agreement and easily leapt up the stairs and ran up the side of the wall. Riku rolled his eyes at her flashy-ness and merely walked off to the third district.

- - -

"Oh come on!" Reni whined while Sora burst out snickering. "That's not fair!"

"Hey, you were the one to suggest it," Cid smirked at her.

"Yeah, you were Reni!" Sora nearly fell over.

Reni pouted. "YOU, Sora, said it first! And it wasn't a suggestion, it was a question!" She stamped her foot childishly.

"Yeah, but I heard it outta your mouth," Cid countered for Sora. "Now, the rest of ya go deliver that book for me."

"Haha, okay, you have FUN Reni!" Sora snickered heading out the door. Reni stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yeah! It's TONS of fun cleaning Cid's toilet! JUST OODLES!" The angry girl screamed at him sarcastically. Sora merely smiled back, and kept walking with Donald and Goofy in tow.

Sora decided to be nice to a certain author and took the shorter route to the Third District: the nice big door to the right in the First District. Thank you Sora. In fact, I'll give you a little surprise for being nice to me!

Here ya go, here's RIKU!

Reni pouted before Cid, trying to look cute to get out of cleaning his toilet. Cid just stared at her.

"What?" He asked.

"I am cute, cute people don't clean toilets, toilets are for ugly people," Reni began to chant as if trying to brainwash him.

Cid arched an eyebrow. "Ya do know I'm not goin' to make you do anythin', righ?" Reni blinked in response. "Go outside an' take a day off from killin' heartless or something. Give those three a day off from your errotic-ness." Cid bent down to arrange something behind his counter, and Reni continued to blink.

"So, like, just...run around...?" Reni asked, uncertain of what to do.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Cid replied.

Reni blinked again, and then slowly walked out of the shop. Once outside, she looked around. There was nothing she could think of to do.

"Ugh," Reni trudged down the stairs unhappily. "Everything's so much funner when there's someone else with you..." _...Like Neki. She could make a game out of pine cones, coat hangers, and Sora's big yellow shoe...that was a REALLY fun game, and I beat her at it! _

Reni smiled at the fact she had once beat Neki at her own game, and decided to reminisce a little bit while walking to perk up her mood...possibly.

Turning around, she walked back up all the stairs, making her way towards the Second District, remembering that one time when she and Neki put applesauce in Riku's shampoo. Boy that was fun! He had come out in his bathrobe yelling at them and they had to run halfway across the town and then swim to the play island! Reni couldn't remember if Riku had been chasing them at that point, but all she could remember was their giggling and cries of "OMG RUN HE'LL GET US".

Entering the Second District and walking along the building's walls, Reni remembered that one time where she and Neki had climbed some palm trees, sat on the tops of them, and threw water balloons at the kids going past. After they threw, they would try to hide themselves as best as they could, but were always caught, and yelled at. There were occasional Blitzball attacks where one would get hit and go flying off the tree, but they always fell laughing.

Deciding to be all monkey-ninja-like, Reni jumped from the buildings' sidewalk to a small ledge up ahead. Stumbling at her landing, she tripped and fell on her face.

"Owwww..." Reni whined, rubbing her forehead and crawling over to the wall. She sat leaning against it pouting at the soreness in her face.

"Yeah, you're supposed to put your arms out in front of you first, Reni," a familiar voice giggled above the girl. Reni blinked and looked up to see a grinning Neki standing on a ledge that projected out from the building.

Reni, who thought about snapping back for a moment, looked back at the view in front of her, ignoring Neki for the time being. She heard a large sigh, and then a thwump as Neki landed beside her. The older girl sat and leaned against the wall to Reni's left.

"You okay?" Neki asked looking over at her friend.

"Yeah. Face just stings." Reni replied curtly. They sat in silence for a while after that, and trust me, it wasn't a comfortable silence, either.

Neki broke the silence.

"Did you read my letter?"

Reni nodded.

"...are you mad?"

Reni paused and Neki held her breath.

"I don't know," Reni finally said.

Neki blinked. "Can you hurry up and decide so I don't have be worried?"

Reni sighed deeply. "Well, the mission..."

"Yes, I know, I promised King Mickey I would stay with 'him' but he also said to follow our hearts," Neki whined, completely interrupting Reni. "And mine said to follow Riku!"

"We're supposed to follow our hearts if we believe it will lead us in the right direction!" Reni protested turning and staring at Neki, looking a little ticked. "Tell me, does joining the dark seem like the right choice? Look, I'm glad you have enough commitment to follow Riku no matter what but you need to straighten out your priorities!"

"Priorities? My _priority_, my one and _only _priority, is my heart!"

"Heart! Heart! Heart, heart, heart!" Reni interrupted icily. "That's all I've ever been hearing about for ten straight years! Follow your heart! Listen to your heart! I've never listened OR followed my heart because I was listening and following you! How am I even sure I have a heart?! I could be a stickin' heartless and not know it!" the girl continued icily slumping further and crossing her arms. "That's all I ever do is follow you, and when I finally stop, we hate each other. So I dunno, this fight between us could all be because of me or something."

Neki stared for a second, "We don't hate each other."

"We sure seem to," Reni looked back.

Neki put on a lopsided grin and said, "No we don't! I can prove it! Tell Sora to go ahead and do whatever. I'll tell Riku the same thing. Then we'll spend the rest of the day together!"

Reni contemplated this for a while, worried about her mission. Then a loud little voice in her head yelled, "SPEND THE DAY WITH HER. SORA WILL BE FINE."

"Okay, let's go," Reni said simply while standing up. She held out a hand to help Neki up. The other girl took it graciously and beamed as she was pulled upwards.

- - -

"Man, Reni...you're really missing out on things when you're not with us!" Sora frowned. "I mean, you missed RIKU." Reni rolled her eyes.

"I've seen enough of Riku, trust me," She crossed her arms and sat on the couch in the accessory shop. "and I feel sick, so I'm not fit for travel...you'll be fine and so will I!"

"Fine..." Sora, Donald, and Goofy all turned to leave. Sora turned around quickly and opened his mouth but Reni interrupted him.

"Yes, there's leftover food in the fridge, now go."

He smiled and left.

Reni sprung up, ran to the fireplace, climbed up it and banged on the ceiling a little bit. The trapdoor over by the ladder sprung open and two skinny arms shot out. Reni took a running leap, grabbed onto the arms' wrists, and was pulled up by, who else, Neki.

Once they were up and out of the synthesizer placey thing, they ran to the Second District, holding little bags of munny and grinning happily.

Shopping sprees are always the best way to reconnect with friends...the female ones...boys don't like that stuff...

- - -

"Hrmmm...Sora's going to ask why I got so many clothes when I should've been resting..." Reni pouted at her bag full of a few shirts, skirts, and a dress.

"Oh here, I'll take them to the room Riku and I share and keep them until you guys get to Hollow Bastion," Neki planned while taking the bag from the smaller girl. "and when you get there, I'll sneak them to you and you can sneak them onto your ship thing, and then you can keep them there."

"Really? Thanks!" Reni smiled at Neki. Then she held her arms out. "Hug?"

"Duh!" Neki scoffed as she hopped forward and squeezed the younger girl around the neck. "Oh I can't wait until we can do this again!" she exclaimed when they pulled away.

"Me neither!" Reni squealed being shortly followed by Neki in the squealing process.

Neki gave Reni an impish grin. "I told you we didn't hate each other!"

Reni smiled and rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Now let's get back to where we belong and keep in touch!" Reni gave Neki a high five and began to jog off.

Neki blinked, turned and called out to her, "If I keep doing bad guy stuff, will you get pissed?"

The other girl paused and looked back at her with a strange look on her face. "I...really don't know. I might get ticked, possibly...can you deal with that?"

Neki smiled, "As long as it's not 'grr I will kill you' ticked! See you later Ren!"

"Bye!"

Meanwhile, a boy, a duck, and a dog all exited a gummi ship and entered Traverse Town, looking for a certain blonde girl who was 'ill'.

Funny how time flies, huh?

- - -

**Rainy: OH MY GOSH...that took forever...**

**Light: You didn't even get all who you said you were going to get in here.**

**Rainy: I know, but this NEEDS to be posted ASAP.**

**Light: ...you just LOVE making things difficult, don't you?**

**Rainy::nod:: 8333**

Up next to write: 

Light of Heaven!

PLEASE review...seriously...they taste GOOD and I'm starving right now cuz I don't eat breakfast and we had an icky English muffin for lunch where the egg didn't even look like egg. Aka: I haven't had breakfast, a full lunch, NOR dinner...i'm such a weirdo. (haven't even had dinner yet)


	6. Chapter 6

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Light: So. Like. I'm out of watermelon. And it sucks.

Rainy: Yeah. That does suck.

Light: --nods—

Rainy: Yup…

Light: I have croutons, so I'm okay. TO THE CHAPTER!

Rainy: --sighs—She still loves to yell.

Chapter 6

As Neki waded through the saliva of the colossal whale trying ever so desperately to get to Riku and the shore, she wondered what the heck he was even doing here. She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and dived under the "water," swimming with all her might to escape the muck. Finally reaching the shore, she found Riku staring at her with a disgusted expression on his face. She matched the look in intensity with a glare. It was all his fault after all. He should have just caught her.

"That's—" Riku started but was cut off by a fuming Neki.

"Screw this. I'm leaving to take a shower. No. I'm going to take a bath. A long, scalding hot bath," Shaking her hair free of some liquid, and happily getting it on Riku, she opened a portal and started to step in, "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, 'kay honey?" Riku flushed at the pet name and instead of answering, made a shooing motion with his hands. She, again, started to leave, but stopped to say one last thing, "Next time. Catch me, or you're dead."

Riku grinned, "Yes ma'am."

Once her portal closed, he turned to the opening to the whale's stomach. He looked up at the ledge and nodded, then jumped up and landed softly on the edge. Taking a step forward for safety measures, he turned and waited for the object of his desire. The wooden-puppet, Pinocchio.

Of course, all perfect plans must have a flaw, and this plan's flaw just arrived via the whales mouth; a brightly colored gummy ship holding none other than Sora, Reni, and their strange animal friends, Donald and Goofy.

Backing up into the shadow from the opening he waited to see what would happen.

-----

"Sora…"

Sora turned to look at Reni, "Yes oh Whining One?" He jumped from one ledge to another as he awaited her answer. She jumped across as well and clung to his arm.

"I don't like this place."

He jumped again, and she followed. Leaning over the edge to get a better look at what Reni only figured to be the whale's spit, she scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue.

Sora sighed and made a move to go behind her so he could get to the next platform, "Just be careful and you'll be fine!" But in doing so, he accidentally bumped into Reni, knocking her off balance just enough to get her to sway over the edge.

"Uhhh……Sora!" He turned back to her wavering dangerously over the edge, and he leapt forward just in time to grab onto Reni's hand, but just barely.

"I thought I told you to be careful!" Sora yelled down to her as she squirmed to get back onto the wooden pillar.

Reni huffed and glared up at him, "This is all YOUR fault!"

Sora glared back, "My fault?!" his hold on Reni's hand started to slip, and Sora decided that to get revenge on Reni for accusing him of making her fall, even though he did he would never admit that, he would let her fall into the disgusting so-called water, "I'm slipping!"

"HOLD ON TIGHTER!" Reni cried as her eye twitched.

Sora's eye twitched too, and he let out a strained grunt and cried, "CAN'T HOLD ON!" before dropping her to her gruesome death of whale's saliva.

And the last thing she saw before hitting the water was a laughing Sora and the ceiling.

She'd kill him.

-----

Now Riku had been watching this transaction between his friends, and was having a hard time controlling his fits of giggles—yes giggles—as he watched Reni resurface, sputtering whale spit and shouting indecencies at Sora who was already on his way to Geppetto's wrecked ship.

By the time Reni made her way to the ship, Geppetto was talking about how he had traveled all over looking for Pinocchio…who was no where to be found.

"Pinocchio? Pinocchio?!?" Geppetto cried to the open space but to no avail. Reni sat down on the hull of the ship and proceeded to wring her hair dry.

"He's probably further in. That opening over there," Reni said and brandished a hand over her shoulder, flinging spittle on Sora and Donald, "Try that. I'm going to stay here and _dry off_!"

Sora chuckled to himself as he jumped off the ship onto the gummy feeling ground, "No matter how long I stay here, this is always going to be gross," he mumbled and made a face as he led the group over to the entrance.

Sure enough, Pinocchio was there, hugging a wall. Sora huffed, "Pinocchio! What're you doing? Come on, let's go back."

Goofy added, "You know, Geppetto's awfully worried about ya!"

"Stop fooling around! This is no time for games." Turning away, Sora heard a familiar voice make a snarky comment.

"But Sora, I thought you liked games." He gasped and twisted around to see Riku standing not but a few feet behind Pinocchio, "Or are you too cool to play them now that you have the _Keyblade_."

"Riku! Wh-what're you doing here?" Sora asked ridiculously. Riku smirked.

"Playing with Pinocchio."

Sora rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean! What about Kairi? Have you found her?"

Riku's smirk grew wider, "Maybe. Catch us and I might tell you what I know."

"Oh come on!" a voice wailed miserably from behind the trio. Everyone turned to find Reni with her mouth a gap and her eye twitching, "You're joking right?"

Instead of answering, Riku grabbed Pinocchio's wrist and dragged him through the exit. Reni growled, giving chase, "Reni!" Sora shouted, following suit. Goofy and Donald gave each other a look, then followed in after.

-----

Neki sighed and brushed her now dry and squeaky clean hair, making sure all tangles were gone, "Much better." Now that she was clean and redressed, Neki decided to pay a visit to Kairi, then head back to Riku to do damage control.

Walking out of her room, Neki spotted Maleficent and the hooded Ansem talking amongst themselves. She ignored them and continued down the hallway until she reached the unused room that Maleficent kept Kairi's lifeless body in. She lay, still as ever and in the same spot nonetheless, on a rather small, plush bed, decorated in vivid reds and purples.

Perfect for the spunky red head Neki thought.

Sighing again, she made her way over to the arm chair and sat down, "Hey Beaver. Sorry I haven't been—" She choked back a sob when Kairi's face didn't scrunch up at the mention of her childish nickname. Taking a breath, she continued, "Sorry I haven't visited you until now. Lots have things have been going on. What with Riku and I on the side of evil. Sora, dear sweet little Sora, being my enemy and the Key Bearer. Reni and I fighting like cats and dogs." She took a calming breath, "It's all been so much."

However, Kairi said nothing.

Neki looked away from Kairi then, not being able to stand the silence any longer. Standing, she opened a portal to Monstro, and stepped in, leaving Kairi as silent as she was before. As if nothing had changed. Though, many had.

-----

"RIKU! What's the matter with you? What are you thinking?" Sora yelled at his friend, even though Riku stood only a few feet away. Riku blinked, then glared at the younger boy.

Crossing his arms he retorted, "I could ask you the same thing."

"What?"

"You're only interest has been to run around flashing off your little Keyblade while I've been slaving away trying to find Kairi!" His glare intensified as he spotted Reni come up from behind Sora, "Do you even care about her?"

Before Sora could start an all out war with the silver haired teen, Reni retorted saucily, "Last time I checked, caring about someone didn't mean you fought over minor details."

Riku's face turned bright red from rage, "WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?!"

Reni just blinked and turned away, as if disgusted, "Obviously more than you."

Interrupting their little reminiscence was a cry from the other room, "Pinocchio!" The group of good guys cried, and started for the room. Riku surprisingly followed.

What they found was a huge parasite like monster of sorts, with none other than the young wooden puppet in its cage of a mouth.

"Ready to do this Sora?" Riku asked. Sora nodded and readied the Keyblade. Right before he attacked though, a dark portal opened up and a blonde haired, and rather confused, teen stepped out into the line of fire.

Blinking a few times, she looked around, then asked, "What did I miss?" She blinked again when an arrow came dangerously close to her temple. Turning to look at Reni, she cried out, "WHAT DID I DO?!?"

"Pinocchio is in danger because of you!" Reni screamed in anger and charged at the older girl. Neki, purely frightened of the raging younger girl, fled from the room, taking Reni with her.

Riku and Sora blinked, "Well that was unexpected." Riku shrugged and summoned his Dark Blade.

"With them, what is?"

Then the battle was on.

-----

Neki continued to scream in terror as she ran in circles, being chased by a growling Reni until neither of them knew who was chasing and who was running aside from the fact that only Neki was screaming. Both falling down onto the squishy floor out of sheer exhaustion, they decided a better option was to talk it out.

"Pinocchio could die because of you!" Reni said, fearful for the little wooden boy.

Neki raised her head enough to give Reni a confused look, "Who?"

"PINOCCHIO! How can you kidnap someone and not know who he is!" Reni looked over at Neki to see the girl still wore a confused expression, "Unless of course you didn't kidnap him."

Neki raised a brow, "Duh!"

Reni's brows knitted together in anger and sat up, "Oh! It was all Riku then!"

Neki, still confused as when she came, asked, "What's all Riku's fault, who could've died, and who the heck is Pinocchio???"

Reni took a deep breath, "Pinocchio is a wooden puppet who was given life by a really pretty blue fairy, and whenever he lies, his nose grows and his conscience is our journal keeper and a cricket named Jiminy. Riku kidnapped Pinocchio for tuna knows what reason and now he's stuck in that big giant parasite cage Heartless and Riku is being mean to Sora and I think Sora is about to find out that Riku is on the dark side instead of the light, and I have no idea how Sora will handle that."

Neki blinked rapidly, "You did the whole 'say a really long sentence in one breath' thing again, didn't you." Reni took a few more deep breaths and just nodded, "Right then."

Standing, the two hugged and linked arms, "Shall we find our way back dear Neki?"

"I think we shall." Pausing, Neki added, "And Riku is getting beaten to a bloody pulp when I find him…Yeah…" Neki opened up a dark portal and the two stepped.

-----

"Well none of this would've happened if you hadn't stolen him in the first place!"

"You make it sound like he's an item!"

"What does that have to do with anything?!"

"You're rude!"

"REAL MATURE RIKU!"

From that short conversation alone, the two girls decided that Sora and Riku were no longer allowed to fight verbally until their balls dropped.

Neki raised a brow in question at Reni, who shrugged and sat down onto the squishy floor, Neki following suit. Opening up a portal, Neki reached in and pulled out a bowl of popcorn, "Who's is that?" Reni asked.

Neki looked at the bowl, then replied, "That'd be Jafar's." Reni blinked.

"Who?"

"Another idiot male."

"I see."

"WELL YOU NEVER CARED ANYWAY!" Sora cried and jumped into the hole in the floor.

"WELL I STILL DON'T care… and …"

Neki shook her head and sighed, "It's over Riku. Give it up."

Reni was busy peering into the hole and munching on some of the embezzled popcorn, "I ain't followin' him down there…"

Neki rolled her eyes, "Oh yes we are!" Grabbing Reni and Riku by the wrist, she dragged the two over to said empty void and jumped in, the brother and sister protesting all the way.

-----

"Pinocchio!" Geppetto cried happily as he hugged his wooden son. Shortly after he was hugging air however, seeing as Riku and re-kidnapped the boy and jumped up onto the ledge, "Pinocchio! Pinocchio! Give me back my little boy!!" Geppetto cried mournfully.

Neki glared up at Riku as he answered, "Sorry old man. I have some unfinished business with this wooden puppet."

Geppetto let out yet another distressed cry, "He's no puppet! He's my son!!"

"He is unusual, I'll give him that," Riku glanced down at said knocked out boy, "I haven't met a puppet that had a heart. Maybe he could help someone who'd lost theirs."

"Wait a minute," Sora said bewildered, and looked at Neki, "Is he talking about Kairi?"

"Uhhh……"

"Neki you better—"

"What do you care about her!" Riku said, interrupting Sora's threat. With that he turned and walked away.

Before she could be further questioned, Neki grabbed Reni and double jumped up onto the ledge, then the two chased after Riku.

"He's going to find out eventually you know," Reni said to the saddened teen. Neki kept her eyes forward as she solemnly replied:

"I know."

-----

"HEY! Let Pinocchio go Riku," Sora called as he came running into the room. Riku turned around to face Sora and the animal people.

"Why are you fighting me! We can work together to help save Kairi! Let's join forces to save her," Riku started for Sora, his fist raised to show he was enthusiastic. Sora had other plans however, and drew his Keyblade, "What?! You'd rather fight me? Over a puppet with no heart?"

Sora glared, "Heart or no heart, at least he has a conscience."

Riku stopped, "Conscience?" Where had he heard that before.

"Save your breath Sora," a familiar voice said from behind them. Sora turned to find it was Neki, "Riku doesn't know the meaning of that word."

Reni stepped up next to Neki, "Whether you can hear it or not isn't the issue. It's loud and clear to us."

Sora turned back to Riku, finishing the thought, "And mine is saying you're on the wrong side!"

Riku glared at the people opposing him, "Then you leave me no choice."

Jiminy, who had crossed over to Pinocchio, cried out his name, "Jiminy?" Pinocchio mumbled and lifted his head a little, "I'm not gunna make it…" A bright light flashed and dimmed, showing that Pinocchio's nose had grown, "Oh! I guess I'm okay!"

A moment of peace passed through the large, yet dingy room. Riku looked up in surprise and stepped out of the way right before he was smashed by the Parasite Cage, who was coming back for round two. Deciding to stick around and see if the twerp could handle the Heartless without him, he leapt up onto one of the higher ledges, safe and out of the way, but had a good view.

"AH!" Sora cried and jumped back a few feet. Readying their weapons, the group, Neki and Reni included, charged at the Parasite Cage, hacking and slashing and firing and spelling and healing until Neki tumbled over into a pool of yellow steaming liquid, burning her shoulder. Yelping in pain, the group lost focus as Sora ran over to rescue his sister from the fluid.

Pulling her from the substance, she winced and gripped right under the burn. Reni ran over and gave them cover, "It's at least a second degree…" Reni yelled over the sound of Goofy's shield clashing with the spikes on the Heartless' tentacles. Neki rolled her eyes in anger and yelled back that frankly she didn't care what degree it was as long as it went away, "Okay! Okay!" Reni grumbled and pulled a potion out of her pouch, pouring it onto the burn.

Neki hissed from the sting, but was relieved once she saw that the burn was indeed gone, but not without a trace, "Stay out of the acid!!" Neki shouted to Goofy and Donald, who nodded and continued to bash away at the Parasite Cage's health.

Reni shot a few arrows, and healed Sora, while Neki pulled apart her staff and was doing double time on two of the tentacles. It was half way dead, it being the Heartless, when the two girls heard laughing coming from above.

"You two fight like chickens without heads!" Riku ribbed at the two angry faces below him. Neki's face flushed in anger and she leapt up onto the ledge, quickly followed by an ever redder Reni, "GAH!" Opening a portal quickly, the three ran straight into it, leaving Sora, Donald, and Goofy to fed for themselves.

-----

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Neki shouted as she tackled Riku to the ground, preparing to smash his face in.

"WAIT!" Reni cried and grabbed a hold of Neki's arm, holding her back. Neki turned and looked furiously at Reni, "We have better ways of torture." However appealing that should have sounded to Neki was lost on her, for she turned back to Riku and punched him square in the nose. The sound of bone breaking filled the dark portal void they were in.

Reni gaped openly at what she had just seen. Neki had never _never_ **_NEVER_** ever hurt Riku on purpose, "Neki, what—"

"You've gone too far Riku!" Neki shouted at him, her face scrunched up and nearly unrecognizable from the anger she was feeling, "That poor boy could've been KILLED! All because you thought it might help! WHAT IF HE HAD DIED? What then?! You never think any of these things through!" Riku opened his mouth to speak but was cut off, "NEVER! You didn't think about the consequences when you joined the darkness. You never thought that Sora and Reni and I might be dying inside from all the pain this nightmare has caused us! You. Never. THOUGHT!"

Reni stood speechless as Neki continued to rant, tears spilling down the older girl's cheeks by now, "You have a brain for a reason, Riku! So get it together, turn it on and actually use it for a change! I'd rather be basically dead with Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, Momma, Papa, and everyone else if this was how you were going to go about saving them! RECKLESS! THOUGHTLESS! IRRESPONISBLE!"

Taking in a shaky breath, Neki made her closure, "If you ever do something like this again," she pointed from her chest to his, "you can just forget about us, because I'll have nothing to do with you." Standing up off his waist where she had been situated, she opened a portal to their room, "Consider yourself banned from the room until further notice."

Then she spit on him.

Reni blinked.

Yes, she had seen that right.

Neki, sweet hyperactive lovable Neki, had just spit, yes SPIT, on Riku, the supposed love of her life.

After Neki's portal closed, Reni blinked again, still unable to believe it.

Riku stood silently, and opened his own portal, leaving without even a glance in Reni's direction. As she headed back the way they had come, she murmured a single sentence, so low, not even Jiminy would have heard, "Darkness, what have you done with my Neki?"

-----

"Riku? RENI? NEKI?!" Sora cried as acid bubbled from the walls and the floor.

"What, was that Heartless an antacid, and now that it's dead the whale has indigestion?" Reni asked as she plastered her most believable smile on her face. Sora ran forward and grabbed her wrist, dragging her protectively away from the puff of acidic smoke that would have burned her head clean off.

"Yeah, something like that, LET'S GO!" Sora shouted and continued to pull her throughout the maze of the whale's innards. Reni blinked and the thought, and ran faster until she was the one dragging Sora, "Reni? What's wrong??"

"WE'RE INSIDE OF A WHALE!!!" She cried and raced faster. Before any of them knew it, Reni had successfully lead them back to Geppetto's ship. The group did a simultaneous blink, but then rushed on board just as Monstro _sneezed_ them out. Reni shuddered again, and gave Sora a deadly look.

Sora glared back, "How could you not have know we were in a whale this whole time?" Reni stuck her tongue out.

"Shut up strawberry-butt!"

Sora blinked, "What?!?"

"We are NEVER coming back here."

-----

Riku entered the castle via Kairi's room, only to find it empty, "What?" The hooded figure Riku had known to be Ansem appeared from the darkness, "Where is Kairi?" Ansem chuckled and stepped forward next to Riku.

"She is important to you, yes?"

Riku knitted his brows, "Of course she's important. She's a good friend of mine."

"You'd do anything for her…?"

Riku scrutinized Ansem, wary of his hidden intent, "Yes. Why do you ask?"

Ansem chortled to himself, "No reason. She can be found on Hook's boat." With that he was gone.

Riku shook the feeling that something bad would happen from his gut and opened a portal to Hook's boat. Sure enough, there was Kairi, still as ever. He walked over to her side and stared at her pale face, her small frame, her even smaller breaths. He sighed and took a step back, "So close…"

"Yet another failure on your own?" a chilling voice said from behind him. Riku didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Maleficent with her despicable grin as she looked down at him, "Maybe you should enlist my help. That's what I'm here for after all…" Riku turned and glared.

"I don't need your help."

The woman raised a brow delicately as she was known to do when something amused her, "The girl certainly begs to differ," she murmured and stepped past Riku to Kairi, "She's still asleep, even after all your hard work and _failed_ attempts." Riku's lip curled into a growl as he shoved Maleficent away from her.

"What do you want?"

"There are seven Princesses of Heart," she gladly told him, eager to have him finally on her side, "All you have to do is bring them all here. They have immeasurable power, and will be able to bring back your friend's heart." He gave her a skeptical look.

"Was the Alice girl one of them?" He asked. She nodded, and turned to leave, "What if I fail?" Mocking her, was he?

She turned to face him, that wicked grin plastered to her face again, "Then I'll give you another gift." Riku never liked her idea gifts, but this one he supposed was necessary. As he glowed the same green as last time, his vision became fuzzy causing him to strain his mind to stay awake while trying to fight off the oncoming headache he was feeling. Towards the end, he gasped from a sharp pain in his heart and stared frightened at Maleficent.

"The power to control the Heartless."

Black was all he saw.

-----

Neki couldn't sleep.

_-fin-_

Light: Truthfully, I feel I could have done better.

Rainy: ARE YOU KIDDING?!? You had Neki act like a raging bull, but it really worked!

Light: --shrug—

Rainy: And the end! Oh. My. Tuna. You just left me dangling off a cliff.

Light: --shrug—

Rainy: I should at least maim you though.

Light: Really? Why?

Rainy: How am I supposed to top that?

Light: Oops?

Next time: RAINY TO THE RESCUE!

Review please!


	7. Chapter 7

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

**Rainy: Yo...**

**Light: 0o You seem tired.**

**Rainy: I had a track meet yesterday and I got home at 11 pm, and went to bed at midnight cuz I had dinner and took a shower...I'm STILL tired...**

**Light: I can tell...**

**Rainy: ...yep...wait, what were we talking about?**

**Light: You being tired.**

**Rainy: ...come again?**

**Light: You. Being. Tired.**

**Rainy: ...oh my gosh, I'm sorry, what were we talking about?**

**Light: YOU. BEING—oh forget it...**

**Rainy: Forget what?**

**Light: Write.**

**Rainy: Huh?**

**Light: OH MY GOD. ::stomp off::**

**- - - **

The Trials of Light and Dark

Chapter 7

"Great. Nice going, Reni." Sora smacked his forehead against the Gummi Ship window. He looked up at her determined face, and sighed heavily. "Reni...stop...no seriously, you're making it worse."

"SHUT UP SORA!" Reni screamed yanking the Gummi controls up and back into reverse. "I CAN DO IT!! I CAN DO IT, TRUST ME!!"

"You're making it _worse_," Sora stressed the last word to make it get into her head. "Stop."

Reni just kept yelling, "I CAN DO IT!!" then switched to, "BACKING UP! BACKING UP!"

Sora sighed again as Donald came out of his room to see what the heck was going on.

"Why's Reni yell—OH MY GOODNESS!" Donald shouted as he looked out the windows.

"Yeah," Sora said grimly. "Reni stopped to scratch her knee while driving, and crashed into a world."

"...a very watery world..." Donald thought out loud, wincing as the side of the Gummi Ship scraped loudly against the rocky outer covering of the world. "Well, we might as well go and take a look around." The duck began to move towards the door. 

Sora's eyes widened and he yelled out, "Wait! We can't go underwater! We'll drown!"

Donald turned around long enough to hold up one finger...feather...? Oh forget it—finger, and say, "Not with my magic! Leave it to me!"

- - -

Neki glowered out the window of _her_ room. She was bored beyond repair at the moment. She was mad at Riku, so she didn't want to hang with him; Kairi was still a sleeping zombie doll and was currently not even in the castle, along WITH Riku, so Kairi was a no; and Ursula was somewhere else on Maleficent's orders, so she couldn't talk to the sea-witch.

And she couldn't hang with Reni because she had NO IDEA WHERE THE DAMN GIRL WAS!!! She could always go and ask Maleficent to make one of those hologrammy thingerz over the cauldron so she could see where Reni was. And thus, there was a Neki-plan!

Neki stood up and stalked out of the room and down the hallway, in search of the black witch.

- - -

"ARIEL!!!" King Triton yelled angrily, a vein popping out for everyone to see. "When will you ever listen to me?! It's dangerous out there!" Sora, and the gang scooted back a bit (well, if it's possible to scoot in water).

"BEHOLD! You swim before the ruler of the sea—his majesty, King Triton!" Sebastion introduced to the VERY freaked out newcomers.

"And he's my father..." Ariel murmured to them from behind her hand.

"And who are they?" Triton commanded loudly. "They don't look familiar." Sora glanced around at Donald's octopus-like body, Goofy's turtle-body, Reni's person-sized angelfish tail, and his own dolphin butt. Yeah, they REALLY looked different.

"They saved me from those creatures!" Ariel exclaimed happily turning back to her father. Sora could tell she was pulling the, "I'm a good girl! Honest!" card that Neki always used.

"We come in PEACE!" Reni and Goofy exclaimed, bowing before Triton. The King of Atlantica arched an eyebrow, and ignored the two bowing strangers.

"We came to find the keyhole!" Goofy said cheerfully, capturing Triton's attention immediately. Donald hissed at Goofy quietly.

"Keyhole?" Triton asked skeptically. "There's no such thing. Certainly not here."

"Daddy," Ariel interrupted, trying to reason him. "maybe you could help them find—"

"_Not another word, Ariel!_" Triton scolded. "Listen Ariel, you are NOT to leave the palace. Is that clear?"

Ariel glared at him, and angrily swished around, grabbing Sora's wrist and pulling. "Let's go."

"Ariel!" Triton angrily shouted at her while rising off of his throne. She didn't respond, and neither did the other folk as they left the room. Once they were gone, Triton sighed and sat back down, rubbing his forehead. "Perhaps I'm being too strict, Sebastion...I'm just concerned for her safety.

"Of course, your majesty," Sebastion agreed obediently. "But I must admit, I'm now curious about this keyhole..."

Triton glanced at the crab and said, "That need not concern you, Sebastion. More importantly," He continued, switching the topic. "how many of those _creatures _are lurking around?"

"Sir, it seems their forces are growing day by day." Sebastion mused aloud, sitting on Triton's throne's arm rest.

"Ugh," Triton groaned as he reached for his trident. "I shall not just let them do as they please!"

- - -

"My father is SO STUBBORN!" Ariel ranted later on as they swam in a random direction. She suddenly perked up, "Hey, why don't we try looking for that keyhole you were talking about?"

"But your father said--!" Sora began in protest.

"Don't worry!" Ariel assured him. Reni randomly got the song 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' stuck in her head, and began to hum it.

They all glanced at her, but she seemed to be in her own little world, so they then ignored her.

"Someday," Ariel continued, ignoring the blonde girl. "I'm going to see what's out there. I want to see other worlds. No matter _what_ my father says." She led them downwards. "Over here! I want to show you something!" she and Sora moved a giant rock away from an entrance to a little grotto.

"My collection from the outside world!" Ariel exclaimed while happily leading them through a tunnel into the main room.

But when they got there, they were in for a big surprise.

- - -

"Alright, fine, but only because I am eager to see what Ursula is up to," Maleficent FINALLY gave in to Neki's whines and protests, leading the girl over to the cauldron. Waving her gold scepter above the cauldron, wisps of green began to form a picture.

Neki stared closely at the events happening. Reni...had a fish-tail? And a PRETTY ONE?! Not fair!

But then she looked closer.

Reni, Sora, the duck, the dog, a flounder, a crab, and mermaid and a merman with a crown, all seemed to be in a little cavern with broken and shattered pieces of everyday things. The mermaid looked absolutely stunned, and the merman looked furious.

Neki couldn't hear what was being said though, so when the mermaid said something, she had no idea what the conversation was about. She was guessing it was about the broken knick-knacks, since that's what seemed to stun the poor mermaid the most.

The merman replied with mouthed words, and the mermaid spat something back, eventually turning around and swimming quickly out of the cavern.

The duck swam forward and seemed to chew out the merman. The merman glared, said something, and then turned to Sora. The merman began to shout at Sora with a look of utter disgust that angered Neki.

The duck came forward again, but only seemed to shout two words.

The merman held up a hand to silence the duck, and began to speak again.

"May I move on?" Maleficent asked with a sickenly sweet voice.

Neki took one last look at Reni, who just looked dumbfounded.

"Sure."

At least Reni was okay.

- - -

"Ohhh! My father treats me like a little girl!" Ariel moaned into the rock she layed down upon. "He just doesn't understand!" she sobbed.

"My, my. The poor child suffers such deep sorrow." A sinister voice echoed from above.

"What a pity. If only there were something we could do..." A slightly different voice replied spookily.

Ariel bolted upright. "Who's there?"

Two eels slipped out of the darkness. "Greetings." They said in unison this time, evil smiles spreading across their faces.

- - -

"King Triton is just concerned." Flounder defended as the group swam into the throne room. "He doesn't mean any harm!"

"I know, Flounder...I know how Triton must be feeling." Sora said, looking down at his keyblade. "But we have to do what we have to do."

Donald froze with a weird look on his face. Goofy stared at his friend with confusion. "Huh? What's wrong Donald?"

"Sora realizes what he has to do...never thought I'd see the day..." Donald replied with that same weird look. Goofy giggled and Reni squealed with giggles.

"I think this is the first ti—" Reni began to choke out through her giggles, but—

"OUTTA MY WAY!!!!" Ursula propelled past them, knocking Reni to the side where she smacked her head on a pillar. "WITH THIS TRIDENT I'M INVINCIBLE!!!" The Sea Witch cackled evilly. "I'LL BE BACK!!!" And she was gone.

"HEY!" Donald yelled as Goofy swam down to see if Reni was okay. "I want an apology!"

Sora looked around and asked Goofy, "Is Reni oka—"

Something propelled between them all again...and this time it was...

"ARIEL?!!" Flounder yelled after his friend. Ariel didn't answer but continued to swim in the direction Ursula went off in.

Sora straightened himself up, and blinked when Sebastion swam by quickly screaming, "ARIEL STOP! CALM DOWN—"Sora grabbed the crab.

"What happened?" Sora asked while Sebastion squirmed in his grasp.

"She ran away! We have to follow her! King Triton's—" Sebastion began in a panic.

"Settle down!" Donald commanded, tapping the crab's head.

"That witch is trying to find the _keyhole_!" Sebastion wailed, and Sora let him go. "Come on! Follow me! We can't let Ariel go alone!"

"Wait, what about Reni?" Goofy asked from below them. They all looked down to see a _very _dizzy Reni.

"Can I have fries with my potatoes?" Reni slurred out holding her head.

Sora smacked his forehead. "She always does this...leave Reni here. She can't do much if we drag her along. Let's go!" and he began to lead everyone in search of Ariel.

- - -

"Hrmmm, I can't seem to find the sea witch anywhere..." Maleficent mused aloud, Neki still beside her as they looked at the different pictures of the sea.

"Check her lair again. She always goes back to her lair." Neki commanded. Maleficent sneered at the girl, but obeyed.

Sure enough, they found Ursula. This time she was holding a spear thing with three points, and was talking to Flotsam and Jetsam, her little eel henchman. She seemed very smug about something, and was gloating.

"Well, now that I know where she is," Maleficent said simply. "I guess I can just close this little window—"

"Leave it up. I'm bored and want to watch." Neki commanded again, dragging up a chair to sit on.

Maleficent shrugged and said, "Do as you please." Then she left the room.

Neki glanced over her shoulder at the closing door, stuck her tongue out, and turned back to the screen.

Wait, now Sora was there! Along with the duck, dog, crab, fish, and the mermaid! But where was Reni?

Ursula now started speaking to the group, but Neki didn't really notice. She was too busy trying to see if Reni wasn't just behind them or something. She did notice that the mermaid was currently traveling around to the side and back of Ursula while the witch showed off the spear to them all.

Ursula held up the three pronged spear and was about to charge, but the mermaid grabbed the woman's hair and yanked down and back, causing a bolt of magic to shoot from the spear, and hit Flotsam and Jetsam.

Flotsam and Jetsam turned into little bubbles that floated upwards, and Ursula looked like she was going to kill. Neki began to walk around the cauldron to see if Reni was maybe hiding somewhere.

Ursula began to scream at them, all the while becoming bigger and bigger and bigger, until she was about as tall as a mountain. Neki stopped to look at THAT.

Ursula lashed out her tentacles and snatched up everyone in the room except for the fish and the crab.

Sora began to yell something, and the duck yelled something back. Sora paused, and then yelled again. The duck then looked at Sora like he was the biggest idiot in the world.

Ursula waved the spear around and around and around, causing a giant whirlpool to form, causing tons of underwater plants, rocks, and anything to swirl around them. Sora began yelling at the duck again, and they got in an argument.

Neki became worried. Was Ursula going to kill them or something?!

Wait, what was that? A ship?! The whirlpool had picked up a sunken ship which jabbed it's main mast into Ursula's back. The sea witch released the group from her clutches, and they swam away.

The group began a steady attack, where the mermaid and duck would cast harmful magic on Ursula, and healing magic on Sora and the dog. Sora and the dog would attack the back of the sea witch's head constantly, rarely letting up.

Now Neki remembered the reason she was even here. She looked frantically around the battle scene for a shot of Reni who still hadn't shown herself. Was Reni injured? Was she turned into one of Ursula's little...mini-creatures that looked like blobs attached to things.

If it was the latter, Neki hoped they defeated Ursula to rescue Reni.

Soon, Ursula began to diffuse into black ink that filled the picture and blinded Neki from seeing what was happening. Soon the ink dissipated, and Neki could see the tired group and the gold three-pronged spear.

The mermaid swam forward and grabbed the spear. Then she turned back to the group and began to speak.

Neki didn't care much now about the events, she just wanted to know where Reni was again.

Reni didn't seem to be in sight, but she was in that world somewhere nearby.

Neki waved her hand, and the image distorted. She stood and began to walk back to her room.

- - -

"Daddy, I'm so sorry," Ariel apologized as she swam up to Triton. He got up off of his throne and hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Triton said, releasing her. "It's my fault. You followed Ursula because I wouldn't let you follow your heart. Please forgive me." He turned to Sora, Donald, Goofy, and a still rather dizzy Reni. "Also, I did not trust you three. And for that I apologize."

"Rock on, buff dude!" Reni yelled out like a rocker girl—head bang and all.

Triton stared at her for a few moments, but then turned back to Sora and said, "Brave Keybearer, I have one more request."

A little while later, they were in Ariel's grotto again.

"Seal the keyhole," Triton said as he revealed the keyhole on the wall.

Sora obeyed, and held out his keyblade. A bright beam shot out of the tip and into the keyhole. A click was heard, and the keyhole was locked.

"WHOA!" Reni exclaimed looking closely at the tip of Sora's keyblade. "That is one SWEET flashlight!"

Everyone in the room stared at her for a moment.

"Ahem," Ariel coughed, getting their attention. "Thank you. Now peace will return to our sea...Tell me Sora, your world...what's it like?"

"Uh..." Sora mumbled in reply.

"So many places I want to see...I know I'll get there someday. I'm sure of it. I'll find a way somehow, but some way that won't put anyone else in danger!"

Triton sighed and said, "Some things never change..." He turned to Sora. "Mark me, Keybearer. If mishandled, the key may bring unspeakable calamity. Wield it with caution." Sora nodded to show he understood. Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and everyone whipped around.

Over in a corner, Reni floated, looking like a deer in headlights. Tons of Ariel's collectables were on the ground or currently floating to the ground. Reni snapped out of it and pointed over at Sebastion as if saying, 'his fault!'. However that was a very lame lie, seeing as Sebastion was on the opposite side of the room of Reni.

Sora smacked his forehead again, and said, "Uh...we'll go before Reni does something major...like spill oil on the surface of the ocean or something equally bad."

"Thank you," Triton sighed, rubbing his temples.

- - -

**Rainy: Now, before you guys brick me-- ::bricks are thrown at her:: OW!!! AHHHHHH::runs::**

**Light: She was too lazy to get up the clips from Atlantica and watch those, so she used her manga. That's why this is all different than what happened in the game, but it works. **

**Rainy::peeks in:: Is it safe?**

**Light: Yes.**

**Rainy: WHEW::comes back:: Anyways, yeah, sorry about that...plus the lateness...and the less Reni-ness...but I got a lot of Neki in there, no?**

**Light: Yes you did! n.n Now post this on so I can read it!**

**Rainy: Okay::does so::**

Next to write: Light of Heaven!

_lol, me and Light were talking a while ago, and we realized that we write this fanfic more for us than for you guys! XDDDD Funny, neh?_


	8. Chapter 8

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

Light: I have nothing to say.

Rainy: Really?

Light: Nope.

Rainy: Really really?

Light: Nadie

Rainy: Really really really?

Light: Neine.

Rainy: Really really really rea—

Light: Honestly!

Rainy: …Really rea—

Light: Chapter time!

-----

In all honesty, Neki didn't know why she was so angry with Riku. Under normal circumstances, she would have playfully punched his arm and glared at him. Maybe even gone so far as to threaten him with no kisses. Perhaps it was the adrenaline that had been running through her veins, or the aggravation she had been feeling prior due to his lack of responsibility of his actions.

Whatever the cause, there was one thing that Neki knew, and that she couldn't deny.

Something had been gravely wrong.

The look Riku had given her hadn't been one of surprise from the sudden voice raise, or at being punched. He didn't look at her playfully when he said she fought like a girl, and he hadn't looked worried when she had spilled what tears were left; She had all but cried them out over the now long gone but not forgotten problem concerning Reni.

That hadn't been her Riku.

It was almost as if someone else had gone in and tweak with his internal things. Changing the way he thought, acted and—dare she say it—felt. It was that annoyingly persistent thought that kept her pacing endlessly back and forth, knowing full well pacing was doing nothing but giving her a headache. Wondering about what had been his problem was the only thing going through her mind, and was the only thing that had been for the past seven and half hours.

Glancing at the clock, she righted her statement-eleven hours, twenty eight minutes, seven seconds, eight seconds, nine seconds, ten—Well you get the idea.

She forced herself to stand still. Taking a few deep breaths she muttered a simple phrase before pulling up a dark portal and leaving the strangely decorated room, one to get away from her thinking, and two to get away from her indescribable feeling of trouble brewing.

"I need another vacation."

-----

(Light Note: Okay, so I'm kind of going to change what happens in HT. It will be similar in that Oogie/Jack/Sally etc. will appear, but otherwise completely

different. Also I personally think that HT would smell like candy corn. But that's just me)

Reni hopped happily out of the gummy ship, twirling ballerina style and taking a much needed breath of the fresh, candy corn smelling air. Letting a small smile grace her lips, she threw out her hands and laughed gaily, spinning around in circles as her friend, her best animal/person/thing friend, and the duck

filed out, Sora watching her with a smile of his own.

"Hey!" Reni called back to him, "Sora, let's go have a look around!" She ran off after that, squealing and screaming in delight as she discovered the smallest quirk of the new world they had landed on. Shaking his head, Sora, Goofy, and Donald followed slowly behind.

"What's she so hyped up about?" Donald asked as he looked over his mummified Halloween Town self. Goofy shrugged, not particularly caring that he now looked like a dog version of Frankenstein.

Sora peered ahead to make sure he could still see said girl, "The probability of it being the fact that she looks like a demon doll is very high." Donald and Goofy answered with unison Oh's. Reni stood at the end of the alleyway, shaking to and fro on the balls of her feet like Neki had been prone to do when she was impatient or excited.

Reni, you see, was wearing a black ruffled skirt that had red bows and went down to mid thigh. Her shirt was a maroon tank top with black bows decking it, and her arm bands were black. She was also wearing black knee high boots that had red bows to pull the whole piece together. Her eyes had also changed to a bright red color that seemed to glow when she looked excited, like she did then. Her hair was also slightly darker.

"Sora!" She flagged him over quickly, then fled giddily through the gate, leading to a horrifically—in the good way—decorated courtyard. Reni spun yet again, taking in all the sights, and the people. Up ahead from them was a small group of people consisting on a exceedingly tall skeleton man, a woman who looked like she was sewn together, a small man in a wheelchair with the biggest head Reni had ever seen, and a short and stout man with a very tall hat and two different faces.

None of this strangeness was affecting our dear little Reni, Sora sourly noted as he eyed the guy in the wheelchair. A guy could get smashed from a head that big, "Hello! I'm Reni!" Blinking, Sora tore his gaze from the timorous woman, noticing instead that Reni had engaged said lady in a conversation, "What's your name?" The woman blinked and muttered a polite "Sally". Reni turned expectedly towards the skeleton man.

"I'm Jack Skellington! The Pumpkin King!" Jack said with a flourish, and bowed, only reaching the top of Reni's head, "How do you do?"

Reni gave him a big grin, "We're looking for a key hole!"

"A Key hole? Whatever for?" Reni shrugged and pointed over her shoulder at a gaping Sora.

"He's got to lock it I guess. Something about Heartless-blah, blah, blah. Details and all that." Reni beamed at her nonchalant-ness. Jack blinked, which caused Reni to blink, "Anyway, have you seen any key holes? Not normal ones, they have to be REALLY big. He's got a big key after all. Small ones wouldn't really work. Then again—"

So much for her being nonchalant.

Jack waved off her rambling, "I haven't seen of, nor heard of any large keyholes that don't actually need to be large. Sorry." Reni sighed and pouted slightly, "But if you'd like, you can stay for the Halloween Party." At that, Reni had already turned around and dropped to her knees, holding onto Sora's hands and begging to stay.

"Alright! Just get up! You're embarrassing me!" Reni happily complied and squealed happily, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Secretly he was going to say yes anyway, but he wouldn't have told Reni that. Fixing his gaze on Jack, he noticed that Jack was looking around frantically, "J—"

"SALLY HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!"

"—ack?" Sora's brows furrowed and he looked around as well, only to find then two short, not one, "Reni?!"

Donald and Goofy blinked then looked at each other, "Uh-oh…"

-----

(Light Note: I'M ALLOWED THE EMO!!! –squeals—You have been warned. –evil grin—)

Slow, methodical steps are taken to ensure the wall she's been successful at building doesn't fall.

Calm, even breaths are taken to keep her from screaming in agony.

Peaceful, hazy pictures are taken to distract her from the heart wrenching memories of days long gone.

Slow, calm, and peaceful.

The inside, however, is in turmoil.

Thoughts swirl thick like a mental vapor, suffocating her until she can barely hold herself together. All alone in her thoughts, though surrounded by hundreds, no one can touch her on the isolated island she's set herself on. Easily she could cast aside the troublesome thoughts for more pleasant ones. Simply smile, laugh, and tell everyone she's okay.

Why does she not then, you ask?

Because she's not fine. She's not okay.

And she's not one to lie.

So she walks, breaths, and tries not to cry as she sees the group of friends gathered around the spacious courtyard. She continues on, as she must endure if she is to see the end of this torment. The end of this pain. The end of this evil that has swept her away from the once happy, ignorant, blissful life she shared with her friends and family.

She must endure.

For if she does not, who shall?

_Breath_, her mind chastises her for her neglect to do so, _Breath_.

She does not hear though, for she does not care to listen. Much rather she would sit and watch with a ghost of a smile as the people continue with their little unimportant lives. And that is what she does. Not wanting to seem suspicious is the only reason behind the shuffling of her feet to and fro. Still she watches with the ghost smile. So peaceful, so blissful, so ignorant.

So unfair.

She idly wonders why her life can't be simple as it once had. Who's fault was it that led to the destruction of her home. Of her family. Of her blissful little life. Oh yeah. The Riku that's not _her_ Riku.

The dam breaks, the tears flow free.

And she's gone.

-----

Reni opened her eyes to find herself in a damp, dark, and rather disgusting smelling dungeon looking room. Beside her was her newly acquainted friend… Sarah?

No.

Mary Sue?

Definitely not.

Snorkel?

Reni blinked at the path her mind was headed… Or lack there of.

"Sally?" The doll-like woman stirred, and Reni guessed that must've been the right answer, "Sally, please wake up!" Sally stirred once more, but refused to wake from the slumber that was her current state. Sighing, Reni tried to get up, but couldn't due to her wrists and ankles being bound behind her back, "Oh this is a perfect way to start off a world!" Grumbling, she settled herself to the damp, dark, and rather disgusting smelling dungeon floor.

She closed her eyes and focused on bringing someone to help her. Some one. Any one.

_Sora. Riku. Yuffie. Squall. Cloud. Somebody! _She willed her heart to reach theirs.

_Neki._

The door she hadn't noticed before opened, a shadow casting itself over her, and the laughter of someone she knew she wouldn't like filled the room. She focused on calling Neki to her. With all her heart, she needed Neki to come save her.

As the laughter died down, and the figures entered the room, Reni let her tears fall as she realized what she feared was most likely true.

"Oh, we're going to have _fun_ with you little girl."

"Yeah! Oogie's got plans!"

"Big Plans!"

"Scary plans!"

"Oh be quiet you three! Can you see you're scaring the poor thing?"

Her eyes widened in fear as she was lifted from the ground and thrown over the shoulder of what Reni guessed to be Oogie. The tears spilled faster as she watched three little kids untie the stitches on Sally's limbs and throw her in a moving tub.

"Please! Just let me go!"

"Oh, I can't do that," Oogie chortled, "I got to use you as bait to drag that little Key boy here so I can exterminate him and Jack all in one fine swing."

Reni let out a strangled cry as she was shifted to the other shoulder so Oogie could open up a door, then throw her to the ground. Looking around, she found herself in a cage. In the middle of a really big Russian roulette spinner.

"Now stay there whilst I get busy with the preparations. Lock, Shock, Barrel; you three know what you need to do."

The bathtub with Sally and all her pieces tipped over, spilling the poor woman all across the cage. The three kids gave the sack like man a thumbs up and left via the walking bathtub, closing and locking the door behind them.

Only then, sitting on her knees—which are surely bruised by now—in a cage, with a surprisingly still sleeping Sally, all by herself mostly, did she allow herself to really cry, because deep down in her heart she knew.

Neki wasn't coming.

And really cry she did.

-----

Sora sighed in frustration, as a way to try and prevent the tears of desperation from leaking onto his face. Reni was nowhere! "Riku will kill me, and Neki will bring me back to kill me again!" He wailed miserably, more a warbled cry than a wail, but miserable nonetheless. They'd been at it for more than half the day and had yet to see any sign of the two kidnapees. Jack stood not too far off from his current position, deep in thought with his hand perched at his chin, and his other hand holding his elbow.

"There's only one person sneaky and evil enough to have pulled this off." Jack turned to face the group and instead found Sora ready to pummel him with the Keyblade.

"WHY DID YOU TELL US THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?!?" Sora yelled at the tall dead man as Goofy and Donald held him back, half heartedly it seemed.

"Well I wasn't sure at first, but now I am. Oogie is behind this!" Jack held a fist into the air and started off towards a tall building without a word. The young teen blinked at his friends in confusion, but when they gave no signs of what to do, followed Jack to where ever he was going.

"Jack, who's Oogie?" Sora asked as he managed to catch up to his taller new friend. Jack stared down at Sora like he was insane. Sora lamented as he remembered it was the same look Neki would give him when he said to do something the 'easy' way.

Jack blinked and looked up at the road, "You really are from another world aren't you?" He didn't see Sora nod, but knew he did, so he continued, "Oogie is a horrible man. He likes to gamble and play rude, mean tricks on the people of Halloween Town."

"Like what?"

"Like putting their hands in warm water and making them pee themselves…"

The group of males shuddered at the thought.

"Among other things, he also wants to rule Halloween Town, but since that's my job, we hate each other. Or at least he hates me. I just think he's a douche." Sora blinked and stared up at the taller man.

"He made you wet yourself, didn't he?"

"HELL YEAH HE DID!!!"

Sora smacked his forehead with his hand and continued on behind the taller man, "I'm being led through a creepy town by a skeleton man to go save Reni from a guy who makes people pee themselves…Wait until Kairi hears this one…"

"Did I mention he's a sack of bugs?"

"Oh my god…"

-----

Neki looked around her for any sign of life, or death for that matter as she had toppled over a group of skeletons as she ran to whatever this place was. Taking in where she was, she realized it was a cemetery, "Oh lovely," she grumbled and sat down on the ground with a thump. She leaned against the fence and hung her head, tired but not, "I miss how it was…"

"Bark."

Eyes shot up to see a floating ghost dog—well…floating—in front of her, "GAH!" Leaping up and onto the fence, she willed her eye to stop twitching. The ghost dog barked again, wagging its tail happily, "You aren't going to hurt me, are you?"

In response the dog barked again, then growled playfully. Neki hopped down, and looked at the tombstones, "Which one is yours?"

The dog zoomed over to a small one, hidden from view almost that said 'Zero' on it.

"Zero?" He woofed in glee, "Well, hey then Zero." Settling back into her earlier position she asked, "Can I dump all my worries onto you?" Zero whined and settled down next to her, "I'm taking that's a yes?" A bark.

"Well it all started when I was little living with my family on my home world…There was me, my mom, my dad, and my older brother and younger sister. For the first three years of my life, things were great. My mom would always make me cookies, and my dad always let me win when we played games. My sister wasn't old enough to do much, but she was the sweetest person and the best listener in the whole house. And my brother," here her voice broke, "My brother loved my unconditionally even though he was six years my senior, and never said anything when he had to baby-sit my sister and I. His friends would come over, and he'd still play with me more than them. When I told him I had a crush on Cloud, he told me not to get my hopes up in case things didn't work out. He protected us when—"

Zero looked up at her and crooned. She looked down at him and smiled.

"He protected us when the Heartless overran our neighborhood. He took us into the house and explained to me that Mom and Dad were already dead, and if he could save someone, anyone, it'd be me and Sissy. He went back outside with Daddy's katana that was only for show, and fought off as many as he could. I watched from the living room window. Sissy was next to me…I doubt she remembers though, she was so young… He lasted for a while. Held them off for a good while. Nobody was coming to help though. Everyone else was already gone."

"He tried his best, I know he did, but no one can last forever. They pinned him down on the ground and killed him...I think. I couldn't watch. I… I just grabbed Sissy by the hand and ran out the back. Put her into the basket on my bike. She was so small it was a perfect fit. I just rode after that. It's like anyone was walking around. Most people were gone. I pedaled as fast as I could to get away, but I started to get tired, and Sissy was hungry…She was crying something awful… I…I made it to the courtyard, and we were surrounded. Squall, Yuffie and Cloud came bursting through, picked us up, and kept running… I didn't register anything after that until we were in Ansem's study."

"The place was barricaded. I knew Ansem very well because Dad worked for him--not directly for him, but more of an affiliate. Daddy was one of the first to go…Ansem told us what the Heartless were, and why they were attacking us. He said that we were to live with him until we were old enough to leave, or the world was destroyed. Which ever came first. We stayed with him for two years. In that time, we began to grow, learn, and devise plans that were asinine and rather insane. Sissy followed me whole heartedly because I was really all she had left."

Drawing in a shaky breath, she looked down to see if Zero was following all this. He was looking back at her with sadness evident in his eyes. Neki was sure hers were mirror images.

"When I was four and Sissy was three, we finally met Mickey. He told us that we were special little girls, and that we should have died while I was riding my tricycle down the streets. He was confused thoroughly on why we didn't. I never did figure out either… Anyway, he said that we were to find a boy, and protect him. That he was very important to the rest of the worlds. Said he couldn't do it himself because he had other business to attend to. He was a king after all…He said he could help us find the general area though. And it was so that the next year after that was devoted to training us and making sure that we would be able to with stand anything. At such a young age, Aerith immediately disagreed and said that it wasn't right. I told her to be quiet and let us make our own decisions."

"We were taught magic by Merlin. How to fight by Squall. How to keep composure in the face of danger by Cloud. How to stay hidden by Yuffie. And how to keep to faith and hope by Aerith. I believe that was the most important lesson of all. The last one was taught to only me by Ansem. It was to be a leader, and how to make the right choices. He told me the right choices were to follow your heart, and no mission bonds should hold that back. I was never allowed to tell Sissy what he told me."

Zero floated up to eye level when Neki didn't continue. Here eyes were wide and her hand was at her chest where her heart was, "Reni!"

She was up and over the fence without a second thought.

-----

(Light Note: MAJOR TIME SKIP DUE TO ME BEING LAZY!!!)

"SORA!"

"RENI!!"

Leaping into his arms, Reni hugged him around the neck, afraid to let go. He pulled her back and looked her up and down, "Are you okay?" She nodded and he tugged her back into the embrace, "Thank god…"

"Sora I was so scared that no one would come!" He gave her a look and shook his head.

"I'll always come to save you! You're like family, you know that." Together, they looked over and Jack and Sally, who were also hugging. Smiling, Sora said, "Makes me think of our two love birds, doesn't it?"

Reni nodded, "Yeah…"

"Reni?"

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay? Seems like something's wrong to me." As Reni was about to speak, another body burst into the roulette table designed room. All present bodies turned to face the newcomer, but only two reacted.

"NEKI?!?"

There are many in depth ways to describe how Neki looked, but in short, she looked disheveled.

Reni was already at her, pulling the older girl out of the room as she desperately tried to get back in and see her younger brother. Throwing her up against the wall, the younger blonde glared, "So_NOW_ you come!"

"What do you mean, _NOW_ I come?"

"I needed you a while ago! Instead I got Sora, Donald, and Goofy to save me. Answer me this; where were you?" Reni's face was red with anger, and she looked so much like Neki, "Where were you when I needed you?"

Neki opened her mouth to speak, but found that no sound would come, "I…"

"You what?"

Tears that she had thought all spent welled up inside her, fighting for freedom from her eyes, "I was thinking of them…" Reni's flash of anger grew.

"WHY?!? I'm the one that's here! They're gone. They left us. HE left us! I'm still here!!" Fumbling with her words now, Reni brushed at the tears falling down her face, "So why do you choose them over_me_?"

Neki blanked, "I didn't! I—"

"You've ALWAYS chosen someone else over me! You never want to be with me any more and I don't eve—"

"I COULD HAVE LEFT YOU!"

Reni stopped talking and looked up, "What?"

Neki's face was flushed as well, "I could have left you there and saved myself. But you were important to me. I chose YOU over myself. So don't give me any bull crap about never choosing you, and you being here, and them being gone. Because they were never really there to you. You don't remember her face. Or his. Or _his._ So who are you to say they're gone? Who are you to say something so asinine as I don't CARE about you?"

Reni took a step back as the tables turned.

"I will not stand by and let you talk like that about the family I loved the most. The family who loved and cherished me. The family who _died_ for me. For you. For us! How can you be so cruel?" She paused long enough to let the words sink in, "You were right. Maybe you are heartless."

She left after that.

Reni didn't move until after the portal closed and Sora had come to see what the commotion was about. When she did move, it surprised Sora, and all who were behind him.

She screamed and punched the wall.

Sora called to her retreating form, "Reni?"

"What?"

"Neki…Neki is on the side of darkness…Isn't she?"

She stopped walking and turned to face him, tears still flowing freely down her face, which was scrunched up in anger, "And I'll make her pay for every second of it."

-----

The scream rang out throughout all of Hollow Bastion.

Ansem smiled under his cloak. It was time to pounce on his second prey. The girl who the Heartless wouldn't touch. His most important person. Waltzing up the stairs, he knocked lightly on the door, which was answered with a crash against the door. It swung open to reveal a red-faced girl with tear stains lining her cheeks and a chunk of wood from the dresser in her hand.

"Leave now before I kill you."

He shook his finger in a no-nonsense manor, which was received with an angry growl, "Tut, tut. Be nice now, or I'll just have to end your life instead." Another growl followed this. He turned on his heel and motioned with his hand for her to follow, "This way." Trudging behind, Neki swiped at her face, making herself look as okay as possible incase they came across Riku.

"I want to know something."

Ansem smiled cruelly, knowing full well she couldn't see it, "That might be?"

"What did you do to Riku?" He stopped and faced her, the hood pushed back enough to see his golden eyes full of surprise, "Oh. You thought I didn't know. Thought that I wouldn't notice? I'm in love with him. I notice _everything_." Fixing his form with a cold look, she ground out, "You will tell me what you did, and you will tell me now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Raising a graceful brow, she questioned, "And why not?"

"If I do, then you'll try to save him."

"Gee, I wonder why." Glaring at him with all the malice she could muster, she uttered a final sentence, "You will not win against the light." She turned and left him, not caring that she was supposed to be following him someplace. One could not trust the man anyone. Any bargain met with him would surely turn sour for you win or lose.

Besides, she had another fish to fry.

"MALEFICENT!"

"Why do you scream so, child?"

Neki summoned her bladed staff and broke it apart, aiming one half at the woman's throat and the other poised to defend, "It's time to end this." The witch raised her brow at the younger girl.

"Are you forgetting who you are loyal to?"

"Are you forgetting loyalties are just a formality until a better opportunity comes along?"

Maleficent laughed, "You would have made a wonderful ruler."

"I frankly don't care."

Summoning her own staff, Maleficent fixed her with a deadly look, "Then let us finish this."

"Let's."

With a scream, she threw the half aimed at the witch's throat up, intending to impale her head with it, but Maleficent jumped back. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled it back and rushed at her, swinging the other end in a circle over her head. She tossed it, again aiming for the hag's face, but it was again dodged. Pulling the half back, she reattached it, and decided to attack her like so. She charged again and slashed upward, happily marking Maleficent's face. Bringing the other half around, she managed to make a gash in Maleficent's stomach.

Jumping back, she readied herself for another attack, "How dare you destroy people's homes for your own power!" Neki lunged forward and stabbed Maleficent through the leg. Tugging it free, she leapt back in time to avoid being decapitated by fire.

"Because power is worth anything!" Maleficent shot back and let loose another barrage of spells. Neki dodged them easily by leaping onto the wall and jumping behind her, from where she slashed at the tendons on Maleficent's ankles.

"Power leads to chaos!"

Her eerie laughter filled the room as she fell into a lump on the ground, both of Neki's blades pinning her neck down, "I know! Isn't it wonderful?" The space between her neck and the blades shortened.

"No. Chaos is what has led to the ruin of my home. The killing of my family. The loss of my sister's love. The man who makes me feel special. The people who care about me. Chaos has destroyed all that was once held dear. You bring this chaos. If you are killed, the chaos is no more. And so, I end your life."

The ringing of blades colliding against each other echoed. A thin line of blood appeared on the side of Neki's wrists. Her staff was lying forlorn on the floor. Maleficent was slowly standing, her wicked smile plastered to her face.

"We can't have you doing that," Shivers ran up her spine as a chillingly familiar voice whispered in her ear. Electric jolts followed the touch of a black clad hand she knew too well. His form against hers was something not easily forgotten.

Riku was holding her back.

"Riku, what are you doing?" She squeaked in pain as his grip tightened, "Riku…"

"How you say his name," Riku's voice murmured, enticing another shiver on her part, "it is as if you are speaking to a lover." Neki could feel her face flush, "But that is not so. You still hold the fragrance of a pure maiden. How is it you can create such feelings to arise from this boy?" The informal usage he was using finally clicked in Neki's mind. She wrenched herself away, her heavy breathing nothing to do with her battle just earlier.

"Riku—"

"Again! You say it again as if speaking to someone you have _been_ with." Her exhaustion finally let her notice the other voice speaking in time with Riku's. Deep, masculine, knowing, evil.

"Ansem…"

Riku's face contorted into a grin, his brow raised in amusement, "So you've noticed." He reached for her, his fingers interlocking with hers and pulled her to him, "Why don't I let you join your lover in the depths of darkness where you cannot ruin my plans?" Neki was, for the second time in her life, enveloped in the glowing green light, Riku's arms wrapped around her, whispering in her ear that'd it'd be all right.

But it was all wrong.

And then it was all gone.

-----

Light: End chapter.

Rainy: YAY!

Light: I must admit, it took me a lot longer than I would have hoped, but over all I'm happy.

Rainy: I'm happy too!

Light: Well I bid you later, so you can start your chapter and not be bored!

Rainy: I GO! –runs to computer—

Light: See ya'll

Next authoress: Black Rainy

Remaining chapters: 2

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	9. Chapter 9

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

All rights reserved.

**Rainy: Gah…**

**Light: What?**

**Rainy: I haveth no apple laptop…school took it back…I have to use a crappy desktop one. I've named it Vexen.**

**Light: Oo Why?**

**Rainy: cuz it's old.**

**Light: BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURN!!!**

**Rainy: X33333**

**Light: How about you start writing now miss "I got out of school a month earlier than Light"?**

**MissIGotOutOfSchoolAMonthEarlierThanLight: Okay!**

**Today we go to NEVALAND!!! 8DDD**

**Note:** _This chapter is the second to last chapter. We wanted to keep this part of the story only 10 chapters long cuz we're weird like that, so we had to combine a few worlds together. I, Rainy, am doing Neverland and the first chunk of Hollow Bastion (just up to seconds before the Sora/Riku fight over Kairi). Light will do the rest next chapter, so expect a really long last chapter! Also, I don't have Sora and Co. fighting Dragon-Maleficent cuz I'm horrible at action sequences. So really, I'm sparing you all the experience of reading horrible literature._

**- - -**

Chapter 9

"So your plan is to give Riku a little bit of free will?" Maleficent asked Ansem as they carried an unconscious Neki down a dark hall.

"Just to see if I've completely tainted his heart and mind." Ansem replied smugly. "If I have, he won't care for Sora, Neki, or that other girl Neki keeps talking about. I'll still be there to steer him in the direction of finding the last Princess of Heart's heart. I shall need your assistance, though, just to watch over him in the beginning."

Maleficent smirked. "And my assistance I shall give. Captain Hook is allowing us to use his vessel."

"His ship will interfere with Sora's," Ansem began.

"Sora gets on ship," Maleficent continued for him.

"And we use the last princess as bait," Ansem finished, and right on time too, because they reached Neki's room. Maleficent opened the door, and Ansem walked in, carrying Neki. Upon placing the girl on her bed, he turned back around. "It's all coming together now."

Maleficent smiled and asked, "The other girl…Reni I believe her name is…has special ties to Neki. What if she interferes with our plans?"

Ansem smirked widely. "The most harm she could do is get rid of Neki. And even if she does," Ansem walked out of the room, and began down the hall. "Reni would merely put herself in a state where she'd be easy to destroy."

**- - -**

"Okay, now that we got Reni to come out of her room," Sora sighed as he steered the said girl to a chair in the Gummi Ship's cockpit. "Where should we go next?"

"How about to wherever Neki is so I can kill her?"

"No, Reni. We don't know where she is anyways." Sora rolled his eyes at Reni's angry suggestion. "Any other suggestions?"

"A place NEAR to where Neki is so I can kill her."

"Reni, don't make me smack you with a rubber chicken." Sora threatened. "Anywhere else?"

"A weapon store so I can buy weapons to kill Neki w—"

"No."

"Then I'm plum outta ideas," Reni snapped, folding her arms over her chest.

"Finally," Sora sighed. "Okay, how abou—"

"Uh…Sora?" Goofy interrupted.

"Hold on Goofy, I was saying something," Sora said patiently.

"But Sora—" Goofy stared nervously out the front windshield.

"Not now!" Sora said loudly with much impatience.

"Sora?" Reni said in a higher pitched tone than usual. She too was staring out the windshield.

"GRAH!!!" Sora yelled angrily, grabbing his hair. "What now?!"

"Would you believe me if I said a pirate ship was about to crash into us?" Reni said quickly, her tone still high. She stood up, her eyes never leaving the windshield.

"…no, of course I—"

**CRASH!**

"…there really _is_ a pirate ship, isn't there?"

**- - -**

"Who are you?! LET GO OF ME!!" Sora yelled as pirate clothed heartless yanked him forcefully by the arms up to the deck of the pirate ship. "Goofy! Donald! Reni! Where did you take them?!"

"Goofy and Donald?" a sly, angry voice drawled. "Are they _that _important to you? More important than _old _friends?" Sora turned his gaze upward to a part of the ship higher than he was.

"Riku?!" Sora spat out, trying to yank his arms free. "It was you?!"

Riku sneered at Sora. "Instead of being worried about **them**, you should be worried about **her**." He stepped aside.

"Kairi!" Sora gasped, and for a second he stopped struggling. Indeed, there was Kairi who sat on the floor, her eyes empty. Snapping out of his stupor, Sora managed to wrench his arms free, and run forward…only to be stopped when a hook obscured his vision.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Sora's gaze traveled from the hook, up an arm, to a black haired pirate with a red hat and big nose. "No shenanigans on my vessel, boy!" the pirate laughed mockingly.

"Wha--?!" Sora turned and stared at Riku again. "Riku! Why are you siding with the heartless?!" In response Riku grinned.

"The heartless obey me now Sora…" Riku answered smugly. "I have nothing to fear."

Sora furrowed his eyebrows. "Huh? What're you talking about?" He took a deep breath and yelled, "You're crazy! Sooner or later it'll take over your heart!"

Riku rolled his eyes and glared at Sora. "Not a chance. My heart's too strong." He brought his arm up. "Just watch. I've picked up a few other tricks as well." Riku flashed his palm towards Sora. "Like _this _for instance."

Sora cringed and braced himself for some sort of attack or something. However, nothing happened. He looked around, and began to smile slowly.

"Ha! See? Nothing happ--!"

Suddenly, Sora's shadow rose up quickly from the ground and hovered in front of him.

Sora's eyes widened. "HOLY SHENANIGANS OF WAKKA AND TIDUS!!!"

Riku snorted in laughter at Sora's reaction. He stopped suddenly, all emotion gone. "Enough messing around. You can go see your friends now." He snapped his fingers and suddenly there was no floor beneath Sora's feet.

"AAACK!" Sora yelled as he fell.

After the last smidgen of Sora disappeared, Riku rolled his eyes. Taking a step away from the railing, he called out, "Let's get underway, already. And keep Sora away from Kairi until we're ready to land." He picked the blank faced girl up. "Make sure to keep an eye on Sora and his friends." He turned around and entered the captain's cabin.

The instant the door shut, the big-nosed pirate from before (who we can all just pretty much assume by now is Captain Hook), growled angrily.

"That scurvy brat thinks he can order me around!" Captain Hook shouted.

"What shall we do, Captain Hook?" an old, meek looking pirate asked.

"Nothing!" Captain Hook snarled. "The hold is crawling with heartless. They can keep an eye on the brats."

"But captain, you-know-who is also down—" The meek pirate began, but Hook slapped his hand over the pirate's mouth.

"SHUT UP!" Hook yelled. "Be quiet Smee…" he looked around nervously. "Did you hear that, Smee? That dreadful sound! IT'S COMING FOR ME!!!" Hook panicked, and ran straight into the mainmast.

Smee shook his head. "Come on, Captain, let's go back to your cabin…"

**- - -**

"Yeah, I definitely saw Kairi!" Sora said with a cheerful smile.

"Really?" Reni asked, with a little strain in her voice.

"Uh-huh! She's on the ship!" Sora laughed. "She's on _this_ ship!"

"Mmmmmph hmmph…" Donald said, his voice muffled.

Sora blinked. "What was that Donald?"

Goofy managed to choke out. "I think he said, 'that's nice'."

"No," Reni corrected. "He said, 'get off'."

Sora blinked. "Oh." He stood up from his seat on Reni's back. Reni did a feeble push up to get off of Goofy's shoulders. Goofy stood up from his position on Donald's head. Donald just laid there for a few seconds.

Sora, Reni, and Goofy stared at Donald. "You okay?" they asked in unison.

"Give me a few minutes…" Donald groaned.

Sora walked to the door while Reni and Goofy shrugged at each other. Upon reaching the door, Sora looked out a thin, rectangle shaped window near the top.

"Ugh, there are heartless _everywhere_!" Sora groaned, backing away from the door. "What should we do?"

Reni walked forward and looked out the window too, whining, "We have to get out of here!"

"Hey there! I don't think I've seen you guys around here before!" an unfamiliar voice called out cheerfully. "Looking for a way out?"

Donald sprung up in surprise yelling, "WHO'S THERE?!"

A freckled boy in green flew into view…no seriously…he flew.

"I'm the answer to your prayers!" The boy leaned over to Reni and touched her shoulder. "Especially yours…" He leaned back into an upright position. "I'm Peter Pan!" He leaned back to Reni and put an arm around her shoulders. "But _you _can call me Peter! That or 'Answer To My Prayers' works too."

Reni blinked a few times. "Uhh…okay…I think I'll just go with Peter…"

Peter grinned and flew behind her quickly to her other side. "Fine choice! 'Answer To My Prayers' would take to long to say in time of trouble, wouldn't it?"

"Um…yeah…it would…" Reni inched away a little.

"Ahem," Sora coughed, getting their attention. "are you stuck in here too?"

Peter looked at Sora like he was a moron. "No…only dumb people let themselves get caught." He quickly turned to Reni and took her hands in his. "Although, I get a sense you were brutally kidnapped…" Behind them, Sora snorted in laughter.

**((A/N: Do you have ANY idea how much fun I'm having making Peter Pan flirt with Reni? I'm having so much fun, I'm falling offa my chair!! XDDDDDDDD))**

"Well, ahem, sorry to interrupt again," Sora snickered. "but if you're not caught, then why are you down here?"

Peter let both his feet land on the floor, and put an arm around Reni's waist. Reni just stared ahead with a look of, 'you've _got_ to be kidding me…'

"I'm waiting for someone, my fairy, Tinkerbell." Peter replied. He pointed at somewhere above Sora's head. "And here she is!" And sure enough, a girl fairy swooped in and began whispering in Peter's ear. "Oh, you found Wendy? Good job, Tink!" Tinkerbell kept whispering. "Wait, there was another girl there too?"

Sora gasped. "That must be Kairi!"

Peter arched an eyebrow at Sora. "Well I ain't savin—"

"Kairi's my friend too," Reni said bluntly.

"We'll have to save this Kairi!" Peter said heroically. "Now, to get out of here…" Tinkerbell flew right in front of his face and began pointing up. Everyone looked up. There was a skylight that could easily be opened or broken. "Okay, that'll work!"

"Hey, we can't get up there!" Sora protested. "We can't fly!"

Peter once again looked at Sora like he was a moron. "Anyone can fly." He grabbed Tinkerbell by the wings and shook her around so sparkly gold dust fell on everyone in the room. "Fly." He ordered.

Donald was the first to try. He leapt up high in the air and flapped his arms (wings?) rapidly. It seemed to work for a second, but he went plummeting to the ground. "GAAAH!!"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Fine." He tossed them a rope and tied one end to the skylight's windowpane. "Here, use this." He picked Reni up bridal style (in which she rolled her eyes) and flew up and out of the room with Tinkerbell leading.

"…how come _she _gets to have a ride?"

**- - -**

About an hour later, Tinkerbell began flying around a spot on the ceiling where there was a chain link fence instead of wood. Peter flew up to check it out (amazingly leaving Reni on the floor). "Hey! I found them!" Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Reni ran forward to look up too.

"Peter!" a young curly haired girl in a blue nightdress exclaimed once she saw him. "You came to rescue me!"

"I'll be right up there!" Peter assured her. Sora could only guess the girl was Wendy.

"Kairi!" Sora heard Reni exclaim. He looked at Reni, and saw she was pointing at an angle across from Wendy. He followed it and saw Kairi.

"Kairi?" Sora quickly jumped up on a crate to get closer. "It's me! Can you hear me?!" Kairi didn't respond. She just looked at him with that same empty look as before. "Kairi!!"

"Peter hurry, the pirates are coming!" Wendy pleaded in the background. The plea was followed by a big bang of a door slamming open.

"Okay ladies," a pirate announced. "Captain Hook wants to see you in his cabin." Sora watched as some pirate heartless picked up Wendy, and switched over to see the same being done to Kairi.

"_Oh no you don't!_" Peter yelled, and flew up at such a speed that it broke the fencing, and he attacked the pirates carrying Wendy. Sora didn't wait to see if they dropped her or not. He leapt up and began to climb a giant pole going through the middle of the fencing.

By the time he broke through the fencing and was pulling himself up into the room, Kairi and the pirates were gone. "Kairi!!" Sora yelled desperately. He yanked the rest of his body through and ran to the open door. He poked his head out and saw nothing.

"Sora," Peter called from behind him. Sora turned around to see Peter carrying a knocked-out Wendy. "This is as far as I can go—I've gotta help Wendy." He leaned over to Reni who had just arrived, and said, "Sorry, but she needs my help. I'll see you soon!" And he flew through an open window.

"Oh, take your time…take your own sweet time…" Reni said with a relieved smile.

"Come on!" Donald interrupted. "If we run quickly we can still catch up!" Everyone nodded and ran out the door.

After a few hallways and stairs, they finally caught a glimpse of two heartless carrying the sleeping Kairi up a flight of stairs.

"Kairi!!" Sora yelled as some extra heartless began to attack.

"I'll go ahead!" Reni yelled as she jumped over them all. Only one pirate heartless followed her as she dashed up the stairs.

"Outta my way!" Sora shouted as he attacked and killed some heartless. After a few seconds that felt like hours, there were enough heartless for Sora to run through and ignore without getting hurt. He like Reni dashed up the stairs while Donald and Goofy finished the heartless off.

Sora rose into the captain's cabin the instant Reni skidded and rolled across the room. He glanced at her, and then looked up where Riku was picking up Kairi. Wisps of black began to surround them.

"RIKU!!!" Sora yelled and ran forward. Riku merely stared at Sora as the darkness began to envelope him and Kairi. "WAIT!!" Sora pleaded, but the shadow that Riku had created of Sora on the deck of the ship stood in the way, giving Riku enough time to escape.

Sora sliced at the creature, and it dissipated easily. He ran through the door in front of him out to the deck.

It was empty.

"Riku…" Sora dropped to his knees. "…why do you keep disappearing like that?"

Donald and Goofy finally caught up and stood next to Sora. Goofy, in an attempt to be comforting, put his hand on Sora's shoulder. Sora smacked it away and stood, glaring at the ground angrily.

"Quite rude of that brat, Riku…" Captain Hook suddenly appeared grinning in front of them. "Leaving with that girl without saying goodbye."

"Run off where?" Sora asked sharply. "Tell me where he went!"

Hook smiled even wider. "To the ruins of Hollow Bastion where Maleficent resides. But you won't be getting there any time soon." Suddenly the deck of the ship was full of pirate heartless. Sora readied himself for attack. Hook arched an eyebrow with his smile and reached behind his back. "Pretty brave of you to face your enemy like that…but does that mean you don't care what happens to your little pixie friend?" He took a little cage out from behind his back that held Tinkerbell.

"Tinkerbell!" Sora yelled in shock.

"Yes! We caught her while Pan was saving Wendy, and while you were chasing the other girl!"

"You coward!" Donald yelled.

"Call me what you will, but I am a _pirate_." Hook laughed. "Hand over the keyblade and I'll spare your lives unlike these heartless here."

"Are you crazy?!" Sora yelled. "There's no way you're getting this!"

Hook shrugged. "If you prefer, you can take a nice long walk off the plank into the freezing ocean instead." He grinned again. "So, which will it be?"

Suddenly, there was a loud ticking sound filling the silence, as if someone was holding their watch right next to your ear. Hook's eyes widened and he shrieked like a little girl. Once again, he panicked, ran, and bashed into the main mast. Some pirate heartless caught him as he fell and quickly took him inside the ship.

Mr. Smee sighed and turned to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Okay, Sora…time to walk the plank."

Some pirate heartless grabbed Sora roughly by the arms and pushed him onto the plank. "Hey!" Sora shouted as they began thrusting their swords at him to get him at the end of the plank.

"Fly, Sora!" a familiar voice yelled from below Sora. "Just believe, and you can do it!"

Sora looked down at the water below him and nearly jumped out of his clothes when he saw a huge crocodile grinning at him. The croc opened its jaws wide as if saying, "Jump in here!"

Sora took a deep breath and looked around. He paused and then yelled to Donald and Goofy, "Where's Reni?!"

"We saw her in the Captain's Cabin on the ground!" Goofy called back.

"We think she was knocked out or something!" Donald added.

Sora sighed. At least Reni wouldn't have to walk the plank. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He jumped.

Donald and Goofy closed their eyes and waited for the splash, or for _something_ to happen. Nothing. There was silence. They opened their eyes.

Sora was _flying_!

"I'm flying!" Sora laughed loudly. "Lookit! I'm FLYING!" He flew in a few little circles for fun.

"Yeah, yeah…we get it," Peter Pan said bluntly while flying up to Sora's level. "Wendy's fine, and Reni better be too!"

"She is!" Sora laughed. Then he cleared his throat. "Want to help me get rid of these suckers?"

"Why yes, that would be fun!" Peter replied politely (for once). The two Dive-bombed the heartless on deck.

"Come on guys!" Sora yelled to Donald and Goofy as he swooped by. "Fly!"

Goofy smiled, and looked like he was thinking for a minute. Slowly he rose into the air too, and began to fly around attacking heartless in the air.

Donald blinked a few times, leapt into the air, and fell down again. He stood and blinked. "But…I'm a DUCK!"

A door slammed open, and a disgruntled Hook came charging out. He froze when he saw Sora slice the last heartless to pieces.

"Wow…" Hook heard someone say to the right of him. He whipped around and saw Peter Pan floating near the edge of the ship looking around the deck. "You're kinda short on a crew there, Hook."

Hook's eye twitched. "BLAST YOU PETER PAN!" He yelled and charged. Peter smiled and took a side step out of the way. Hook couldn't stop in time, and went hurdling over the side of the ship.

"THIS IS NOT HAPPENIIIIING!" Hook shrieked like a little girl as he fell straight into the crocodile's mouth.

Peter nearly fell over laughing, but stopped suddenly.

"Where's Reni?"

**- - -**

"Ohhhhh…my heeeeeeeaad…" Reni groaned as she stumbled around in the Gummi Ship cockpit. "Where are we going now?"

"Hollow Bastion," Sora replied shortly. "That's where Riku, Maleficent, and most likely Neki will be."

Reni blinked a few times. "Can we go faster?"

"Do you want motion sickness?" Donald asked in return.

Reni thought for a moment and said, "Yes."

"We're not going faster," Donald stated sternly.

Reni stuck her tongue out and sat down. She looked at Sora.

"Hey, what's with the sad face?" She asked him, standing up and walking to him.

Sora leaned back. "Riku's keeping Kairi away from me…he's not acting like himself."

"Yeah, I noticed that when he sent me flying across the room," Reni mused, tapping her chin. "Just goes to show how much darkness sucks."

Sora shrugged. After a few moments he asked Donald, "Can we go faster?"

"No."

**- - -**

"Wow…so this is Hollow Bastion…" Donald breathed as the group stood in the area called "Rising Falls".

Sora stared around the area, and suddenly said, "I know this place!" Everyone stared at him. "I wonder why…" He thought out loud. "I feel this warmth inside," He pointed to his heart. "Right here."

"Aw you're just hungry," Donald rolled his eyes and Reni snorted in laughter.

"Hey, I'm serious!" Sora whined, but there was some loud shouting that interrupted him from going on.

"Hey! Up there!" Reni yelled, pointing up at an area that was only accessible by jumping and climbing up floating rocks. There were two figures over there, a massive one, and a skinny one.

"Let's check it out," Sora suggested, and when no one objected, he jumped up onto the first floating rock.

A few minutes later and they were where the two figures where currently fighting. One of them was none other than…

"Riku!" Sora yelled as the said boy charged at a giant hairy beast. "Stop!!" Too late, the beast fell, and Riku turned to stare at Sora smugly.

"About time, Sora." Riku greeted lazily.

"Where's Kairi?!" Sora demanded, glaring daggers at Riku.

"Actually, I'm not quite sure," Riku mused aloud. He smiled at Sora, "But here, I got something for you…" He threw a wooden sword at Sora's feet.

Sora stared at if for a second. "What's this?"

Reni arched an eyebrow, "A wooden sword."

"Your _new_ sword." Riku corrected while holding out his hand.

The Keyblade suddenly began to tug itself from Sora's grip, and he grabbed on with both hands. "GAH! What are you doing?!" The Keyblade disappeared from Sora's hands, and appeared in Riku's. Sora fell backwards onto his bottom, and Reni ran forward.

"Riku!" Reni yelled angrily. "What are you doing?! Give Sora back the keyblade!"

"The Keyblade chooses its master," Riku drawled. "And it chose me."

"But…that's impossible!" Sora gasped from his spot on the ground. He stood quickly. "I'm the guy who fought all the way to get here _with _the keyblade!"

"Sorry, your part's over now," Riku announced. "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi. You were just the delivery boy." He turned around and began to walk away.

"…let's go Goofy," Donald said sadly as he began to follow Riku.

"What? Wait, where are you going?!" Reni cried out.

"We have to remember our mission," Goofy said softly, looking at Reni with a sad look.

"The King told us to follow the Key and…" Donald began motioning towards Riku. "…we're sorry…" The two turned around and began to follow Riku.

Sora fell to his knees with a pathetic thud, and stared wistfully at the ground. Reni turned and kneeled in front of him with a sympathetic look. "What now?" she asked.

Sora sighed deeply and said solemnly, "Just go home, I guess…"

Reni stared at him for a second, her face blank. "'Just go home'? Sora, we've gotten so far—we can't turn back now! Where would home even be anymore? It's been gone for months now—the only way to get back home is to finish what we came all this way for!"

Sora didn't respond, so Reni grabbed his shoulders and shook them. "Sora! Don't give up!"

"You only want to go on to fight Neki," Sora said softly, never raising his eyes to look Reni in the face. She kneeled there, shocked by his statement.

A minute of silence passed between them until Reni stood up.

"I came to fight the darkness," Reni corrected while looking down at Sora. She turned away and left in the direction Riku, Donald, and Goofy had headed in. Before leaving completely, she turned around and asked, "What'd _you_ come to fight for?"

Sora looked up at her with surprise, but Reni wasn't there anymore. Feeling downright rotten, he reseated himself so he was hugging his knees and was resting his forehead on his arms.

_I came to fight the darkness too,_ Sora thought desolately. _But I can't do anything without the keyblade…I wanna go home…_ Recent words and phrases replayed in his head, as if reminding him of his sorrow.

"_The Keyblade chooses its master, and it chose me."_

"_You don't have what it takes to save Kairi."_

"_You were just the delivery boy." _

"_We have to remember our mission." _

"…_we're sorry…"_

"_Sora! Don't give up!"_

"_What'd you come to fight for?"_

Loud, thumping footsteps woke Sora from his misery, and he looked up at the giant hairy beast Riku had been fighting earlier. The monster limped slowly by, and collapsed a few feet in front of Sora.

"Hey, don't move!" Sora ordered while pulling himself forward to the fallen creature. "You're hurt!" He put a hand on the creature's shoulder.

The monster glanced at Sora, breathing deeply. "I came to fight for Belle." It said with its deep, rumbling voice.

Sora was taken aback at the statement. The monster continued with a slight glare. "And though I am on my own, I _will_ fight. I won't leave without her." It stood and so did Sora.

Sora stared at the giant beast with awe while mulling things over quickly in his head. "………me too." The beast looked at Sora's determined face. "I'm not gonna give up now! I came here to find someone very important to me—and I _will_ find them!" He picked up the wooden sword. "I'm Sora."

The monster stared at Sora for a few seconds, as if trying to figure out whether to trust the determined boy or not. Finally, he said, "I'm Beast."

Sora smiled while tossing the wooden sword back and forth between his hands. "Shall we go?"

**- - -**

"Wait! I _said _wait!" Donald yelled in annoyance while he and Goofy tried to keep up with a fast-paced Riku.

Riku merely looked over his shoulder and yelled, "I didn't _ask_ you to follow me. _You're _the ones who need the keybearer." He kept walking.

Donald and Goofy stopped and stared at Riku with disgusted looks.

"_Who does he think he is?!_" Donald yelled with extreme anger—hopping on one foot, shaking fist, all that jazz.

Goofy tilted his head to one side, and looked slightly worried. "Hey, is he alright?"

Donald turned his head and stared at Goofy like he was crazy. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"He doesn't look too well…" Goofy answered, pointing at Riku. He and Donald began walking again so they wouldn't be left behind.

Donald rolled his eyes as they walked. "Who cares how he looks?! He's the biggest, fattest, big-headed, fat-headed—"

"Riku!" Donald and Goofy were jerked aside as Reni bulleted between and past them. Riku paused in his fast stride and turned to look at her.

"What do _you_ want?" Riku folded his arms and put most of his weight on his right leg. "I thought you, for sure, would still be with Sora. Or are you, like them, keeping to your mission to follow the keybearer?"

Reni rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I just want to know where Neki is. I could care less about my mission right now."

Riku looked her in the eyes. "Follow me, and you're bound to find Neki."

_Follow the darkness…_

"Alright," Reni agreed with a deep nod. Donald and Goofy finally caught up.

…_To find the lost light._

"Reni's traveling with us."

**- - -**

Beast smashed through another wall to allow entrance with Sora following shortly. "There! There's a door!" Sora shouted to his new companion as he ran to the door. Beast quickly changed his course to the door, and they both slammed it open while heartless began to fill the hall.

Upon entering the new area, Sora gasped—Riku, Donald, Goofy, and Reni all stood in the middle of the room, all looking at Sora with surprise. From behind, Sora heard Beast cry, "BELLE!" followed by a door slamming. He whirled around to see no one beside him, and a closed door.

"Quit while you can," Riku warned darkly. Sora whipped around and glared at Riku.

"Oh shut up, Riku!" Sora threatened, tightening his fists.

"Sorry if I interrupted your little adventure game," Riku ignored Sora's threat with a smirk.

"I'm not joking!" Sora's glare intensified. "I'll seriously beat your brains in!"

Riku's smirk fell, and was replaced with a dark look. "This isn't a playground. Get lost." Goofy and Donald were looking at Sora apologetically, and Reni was staring shamefully at her shoes.

A few seconds of silence pursued until Sora said, "No. Not without Kairi." Reni finally looked up at Sora with a mixed look between shame and awe.

Riku glared and outstretched his arm, his palm showing. "The darkness will destroy you."

Sora took a deep breath, and said calmly, "Riku, I'm here to save Kairi, and you can't stop me."

Riku tilted his head with sarcasm. With a light, airy voice he asked, "Really?" suddenly, a red and black bolt of light was shot at Sora…

…but deflected by a shield.

"Sora ain't gonna go nowhere!" Goofy shouted determinedly from behind his shield. Sora beamed brightly at his friend who had just saved him.

Angry, Riku's glare burned at Goofy. "You'd dare betray your king? You should be obeying me!"

"But I'm not gonna betray Sora either!" Goofy argued back with a goofy grin, his shield never lowered. "He's become one of my best buddies, after all." He waved at Donald and Reni. "See ya, Donald! See ya, Reni! Could you tell the King I'm really sorry? I'm going to stick with Sora. You do what you feel you have to do, guys. A-hyuck!"

"Wait!" Donald shouted angrily while shaking his feathery fist. "That's not fair!" He left Reni and ran over to them and said, "All for one, and one for all, remember?" Donald slapped his forehead, "Ugh, such idiots…"

Sora smiled even wider at them both, and then turned back to Riku, the smile dropping. "What you've got is not true power." Riku growled in return. "I know now I don't need the keyblade. I've got a better weapon. My _heart_." Riku took a step back, and Reni smiled slightly. "If my friends think of me now and then…if they don't forget me…" Sora continued with a growing smile. "…then our hearts will be one."

The keyblade disappeared with a bright light from Riku's grasp. "What?!" Riku shouted as it appeared in Sora's hands.

"My _friends_ are my power!" Sora yelled at an angry Riku.

Riku glared intensely at Sora. "Your _heart_?! What good will that weak little thing do for you?! I'll destroy you!" The creaking sound of wood bending stopped Riku from going further. He turned his head to the left, and saw an arrow being aimed straight at his face.

"You wanna rephrase that?" Reni asked with a dangerous smile.

Riku took a few steps back, and glared at everyone in the room. Quickly, he made a dark portal behind him. With another look around the room, he ducked through it.

They stood in silence for a while. Reni eased up on her bow, and put the arrow away. She walked over to Sora, Donald, and Goofy with a big, impish grin.

"Think I scared 'im?"

**- - -**

A few hours later, Sora and the gang stood, gasping for breath as blazing flames around them dissipated.

Reni panted heavily, "A…a…a _dragon_?! Oh…my gosh…I don't get…paid enough…for…for this…"

"Ugh…you don't…get paid…at…at all…Reni." Sora panted, falling on his butt with an audible thud. "Oi, let's…catch our breath…"

"Fine by me…" Donald groaned, flopping onto the ground. "And we go through that tunnel, right?"

"Yeah…" Sora answered, his breathing rate gradually turning back to normal. "…Don't you think it was funny when Maleficent said, 'the true darkness'?"

Reni laughed out loud. "Oh yeah! I didn't know whether to laugh, or to attack half the time!"

"A-hyuck!" Goofy giggled with Reni. "Well, I think I'm good to go on. How about you guys?"

"I'm good," Reni answered, with a smile. "But before we go, we should stock back up on healing stuffs. We kinda used our quick stuff up while fighting True Darkness Lady." Sora laughed in agreement.

A few moments later, everyone was stocked up and ready to go. They left through the tunnel, and ran along a pathway filled with shadow heartless to which they paid no attention. They entered another huge door into another big room. The walls were paved with pods, which held beautiful girls, which one could only assume to be princesses.

Reni suddenly stopped, and grabbed Sora's shoulder. "Hey, look up there," she whispered while pointing up at a figure on a ledge accessible by stairs surrounding it. "Bet that's Riku."

Sora saw the figure and took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, here goes…" The group began to advance forward, but when they got under a giant archway, there was a loud thwump from behind. They turned sharply to look, and saw a decked in black Neki staring blankly at them. Reni instantly growled.

"You guys go on ahead," Reni said darkly, pulling out an arrow. Sora, Donald, and Goofy all nodded, and ran up one set of stairs. Reni turned back to Neki. "Hello, darkness…"

_Follow the darkness to find the lost light._

**- - -**

**Rainy: X3333 I finished my chappie…**

**Light: X3333 I know….put it on so I can read it.**

**Rainy: Yes ma'am!**

Next to write: Light of Heaven!

Read and review!

_Bonus note: Did you guys know that this chapter is 20 pages long? __**::dies::**_


	10. Chapter 10

Kingdom Hearts: The Trials of Light and Dark

A Light in the Rain production

Neki © Light of Heaven and Kitty Fetish

Reni Concept © Kitty Fetish

Reni © Black Rainy

Kingdom Hearts Characters and Concept © Square Enix and Disney

Final Fantasy Characters © Square Enix

Neki's Special Line © Wild Arms 3

All rights reserved.

Light: I warn you now. It's a long chapter.

Rainy: Yeah it is! This chapter is The Riku/Sora fight, the Reni/Neki fight, the Sora/Kairi talk, and the rest of Hollow Bastion!

Light: Yeah, and most of it is angsty.

Rainy: The rest?

Light: -snort- I had to have my fun.

Rainy: Right. Have at it then.

Light: And have at it I will! –flies off-

Chapter 10

Cold.

Like her home world in winter. Like Ansem's eyes looking through Riku's. Like Reni's glare at the body she had no control over. She could go on and on with similes to the sensation—or lack there of—going through her body. Summed up nicely:

She felt cold.

She tried to draw a breath, but found herself incapable of doing so. In a panic, she tried to flail her arms. That resulted in more panic on her part. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't see anything. She was nothing but a shadow in the back of her own mind. She choked back a non-existing sob, and let the imaginary tear run down the face that wasn't really there.

Cold.

Trying to take back what was hers, she closed her unreal eyes. Opening up her heart, she felt for a familiar presence. Somewhere. Anywhere. Someone. Anyone. But found nothing. The darkness controlling her gathered itself up, crushing her under its weight, knocking the breath that she couldn't draw from the lungs that weren't there.

Consuming her, the darkness. Taking all that she was, and making it theirs. They had no right to take her life. Her freedom. Her willpower. But it did. And the Neki that was, became no more. She was gone with the darkness, pulled into the eternal slumber.

Cold.

Dark.

Nothing.

- - - - -

Face to face.

A fallen angel.

A weary fighter.

The final battle.

It was the End.

And it had begun.

Reni stared into the empty abyss of Neki's brown orbs. Slipping her bow off her shoulder, she knocked an arrow, "Neki. You will pay for your insubordination. Following your heart or not, I will crush any traitors." Neki said nothing, but summoned her dual bladed staff. The challenge had been accepted.

A flicker of emotion flashed crossed Neki's face. Pain, sadness, regret. They filled the eyes, brimmed them with tears, but left without a second thought.

Pulling apart the staff, Neki swung one side, then the other, "If it's a nightmare you seek," she began walking forward at an even pace, "Then a nightmare you'll get." Reni pulled her arrow taut against her cheek, "One that never ends, and one you cannot wake from." Her pace quickened.

"Rot in my endless nightmare!"

Reni fired.

Neki charged.

The End began.

- - - - -

"Kairi!" Sora's voice was strained, tears threatened to fall as he held her lifeless form in his arms, "Kairi, please! Open your eyes…Please…"

"It's no use."

Blue eyes glanced up to meet cyan ones, "What?"

"That girl has lost her heart."

Again Sora asked, "What? You! You're not Riku."

Instead of answering, the Riku that wasn't Riku stood up, "The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last Princess of Heart sleeps." He leapt down from the ledge he previously sat on and landed without a sound.

"The Princess? Kairi's a princess?!" Sora looked bewildered at Kairi's body, as if it would give him the answers he desired.

"Yes. And without her power, the keyhole will remain incomplete," he brandished the sword he held, "It is time she awakened."

Sora glared up at the form, "Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!"

The Riku who was not Riku smiled deviously, "But first, you must give the Princess back hers." Again he brandished the sword, pointing it at Sora with that chilling grin. Sora felt a sharp pain speed through his heart, almost like someone was tugging at his heart. He let out a grunt, and staggered, falling to his knees

Donald let out a worried cry from next to him, "Sora!"

"What's—"

"Don't you see yet?" The Riku shouted at him, "The Princess's heart is responding!" He started down the steps toward the fallen boy, "It has been there all along. Kairi's heart rests within you!"

Riku stood at the end of the stairs leading to the Keyhole, "Kairi's…Kairi's inside me?" Sora laughed to himself. If Neki were with them, she'd have a few choice words to say about that…But she was fighting Reni…Sora felt another sharp pain. Kairi missed her too.

"I know all that there is to know."

"Tell me: Who are you?"

Another wicked grin plastered itself on Riku's face, "It is I. Ansem—Seeker of the Darkness" He spread his hands wide, walking forward towards Sora yet again. In anger, Donald charged at him, but was easily knocked outside the area, and most likely unconscious, "So. I shall release you now Princess. Use your power to complete the Keyhole and lead me into Everlasting Darkness!" He lifted the blade, bringing it down with a might swing.

"SORA!"

Instinctively, Sora reacted, stopping the deadly arc before it could complete its course. The malice in his eyes bled through into his voice, "Forget it!" Pushing Riku's blade away from him he retorted, "There's no way your taking Kairi's heart!"

Riku glared, and charged at him, "We shall see."

- - - - -

The sound of swords clashing startled Reni mid-jump. She could see that Sora and Riku had begun their fight as well. Landing, she leapt backwards to narrowly avoid Neki's blade making contact with her throat. She ran at a wall, pushing herself up and over Neki, and fired a handful of arrows. Most of them Neki dodged, but some were able to abrade her.

Neki didn't slow her pace, throwing one side of her staff so that the chain hooked around the younger girl's ankle, causing her to slam into the ground. Next, she pulled her towards herself, managing to get a good gnash in Reni's arm.

She freed herself easily enough and fired off three arrows. Two missed, but one lodged itself in Neki's shoulder. The older girl turned and growled, snapping the two halves together and charging at her. Reni back flipped onto a higher ledge, trying to get enough distance to fire another round. Twirling the staff into a better position, Neki front flipped onto the ledge as well, following Reni's movement with way too much ease.

In an attempt to give herself the upper hand, Reni cast Graviga at Neki's feet, keeping her grounded to the small ledge. She shot off two arrows, both landing in the back of her thigh. Surprisingly, Neki screamed in pain, glaring at the smaller form from her spot. Neki countered by casting Thundaga, sending a stunning shock through Reni's system.

Neki, now freed, charged at Reni, knocking her off her feet, and hitting her head against the floor. Neki pulled her fist back, ready to punch the girl she had pinned to the ground. Reni shook her head to clear it and was able to free herself enough so that she could roll out from under Neki, switching their positions, and punching her square in the nose. Neki brought her knee up into Reni's stomach, sending the air flying from her lungs.

The two rolled away from each other and again readied their weapons, circling the other like a hawk.

Reni smiled cruelly, "I don't think we've ever gotten this bloody before." Neki answered by pulling out the arrows lodged in her thigh and tossing them to the ground.

"Come."

"With pleasure."

- - - - -

Riku charged at the brunette, hell bent on stabbing him through and through. Sora blocked it easily enough, throwing him back a good few paces. Sora attacked, Riku blocked, they'd repeat. They did manage to get a good few shots in every hit or so, making the battle less redundant.

Landing a critical blow to the silver haired teen's gut, Sora laid out a barrage while he was down, then leapt back and struck once more. As he was going back for a third round, Riku got up and nicked Sora's abdomen, causing Sora to wince and hiss in pain.

_It was a lot easier with wooden swords_, Sora mused as he avoided Riku's attacks long enough to heal with a Hi Potion, _where the worst you could get was a splinter in the worst of places._ Going at him, Sora managed to catch Riku off guard, allowing him to get a good stab to the stomach. Riku gasped in pain as Sora twisted the Keyblade, then pulled it out in an upward manner, making an arc on Riku's abdomen. Leaping back, Sora landed another combo attack, knocking Riku back against the wall. Catching his breath as Riku fell to the ground, Sora shook his Keyblade free of as much blood as he could, then made a steady march forward.

Riku made a shaky stand. Readying his own blade, Riku leveled his gaze with Sora's, "You are stronger than I had expected." He healed himself quickly, "But no matter. I will finish you here and now."

"You couldn't kill a _shadow_ with your heart," Sora ground out as he got into position, "No more playing around!" They circled each other until Sora was against the wall.

They charged.

Each hit.

Then they waited.

Sora panted in exhaustion. He was barely able to turn around to see the condition of Riku. It seems Riku had the same problem. They stared, steely-eyed, at the other. He managed to turn all the way around before falling to his knees, "Riku…"

Riku finished turning around and faced Sora, blood dripping down his face from the head wound inflicted by the wall. He started to say something, his mouth open, trying to form words, but blood gushed out instead.

"Riku…I…"

Black wisps rose from the floor, winding their way around the contours of Riku's body. Wrapping themselves around his legs, arms and torso, the darkness began to take him away.

For the last time.

Sora was up in an instant, but an instant too late. By the time he was halfway there, Riku was already faded and gone, but his Keyblade remained. He picked it up, mulling over his options. Save Kairi, or save the world. Well that was the easiest question in a long time. Walking over to Kairi, he mumbled, "A Keyblade that unlocks hearts…"

"Sora!" Donald cried out in warning. Goofy stood nearby. He comforted them with his trademark smile, then slammed the blade into his heart. A single sentence, a lone name, drifted out on his last breath, "Forgive me, Neki…"

Right before the darkness that he fought became his sweet embrace, he heard something.

A scream.

Then nothing.

_Falling…Falling… into darkness…_

- - - - -

The kick Reni delivered to Neki's stomach sent her flying up against the wall. The sound of bone cracking was received with a shiver from the younger girl. Walking over, Reni glanced above. Riku being taken by the darkness greeted her sight. When she reached Neki, her bow was already strung with an arrow aimed at the heart.

Her face was smeared with blood and sweat. But something else was there as well. Not waiting another second for Neki to heal, she fired the arrow, wincing at the resounding thunk as it hit its mark. She opened her tightly closed eyes to the fear stricken face of Neki, not the empty one of before.

"Neki?!" Her mind raced, trying to find a reason for the sudden change. Why would she go from evil to normal like that? Reni found her eyes flying upwards to where Riku and Sora had been fighting.

And then she knew.

She had been controlled by the darkness. By Ansem.

"Shit."

Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth as she tried to speak, "Re…" she coughed up a bloody mess, "I…I'm…So…" Another fit of coughs, followed by a haggard breath, "Sorry…I'm sorry."

"Neki!" Tears she didn't know she had fell down her face, "Don't! Don't talk…You have to—" A choked sob came from her throat, "You have to…"

"I'm dead."

Her head came up, tears flying onto Neki's face, mixing with her own, "No! I can…I can save you…! I just need… Someone! Aerith!" Reni began to ramble, sobbing uncontrollably as Neki brought her hand to wipe at the tears on her cheeks. Shaking her head as best she could, Neki smiled.

"No, Reni…" She drew a jagged breath, "I'm gone…Please…" She seemed to be having trouble finishing her sentence, though whether of her wound, or of the tears escaping down her face, Reni couldn't decided, "Take care…Of Sora…And Kairi…Sweet Beaver…" A forced laugh, "You are all they have left."

Reni forced a smile, knowing it was Neki's dying wish, "I'll try not to kill her for him. Besides, I know so much about Sora it's going on stalker!" The two exchanged a light laugh. Reni's hand found Neki's, still on her cheek, "Don't leave me alone again…"

Neki continued to smile, even as the light in her eyes began to disperse, and the darkness began to take her, similar to how it had taken Riku.

"No!"

"Reni."

"NO! You can't leave me!" Reni tightened her grip on the disappearing hand.

"Sister, I love you."

"NEKI!"

Reni collapsed into a heap on the empty spot where her dearest person had been. The tears came in full force.

Neki was gone.

And Reni had been the one to kill her.

"NEKI!!!" Reni clawed at the space, trying desperately to call her heart back into the world. But nothing happened. Neki was finally gone. Dead, as she had wished it not five minutes before. But she did not rejoice, as she thought she would. Instead,

She screamed.

- - - - -

"Sora!" Kairi leapt up and tried to catch the falling and fading body of the boy she loved, sadly getting there a moment too late. She held the position, staring at the empty space, not noticing a trudging form climbing the steps, "Sora…Is he really…? No! I won't let him go!"

"Kairi!"

She turned to face the voice and found Reni staring back. She ran for the red head, grabbing onto her arm, "Where's Sora?"

"I don't know! He just…vanished!" Reni glanced about, her eyes settling on Donald's and Goofy's.

"We have to get you out of here."

"We have to find Sora!"

"We have to open the Keyhole."

The two females turned to the form of a rather abnormally tanned man, silver cascading hair, and golden feline eyes.

"I thought I'd input my idea."

Reni leveled him with a glare, "I don't take requests!"

The man Reni guessed to be Ansem started to take a step toward them. They, in turn, took a step back. Then a glowing form appeared in front of him, arms spread, as if holding him back.

"You!" Ansem yelled, "You are supposed to be with the darkness!"

"No…You won't use me for this!" As the figure began to clear, Kairi and Reni exchanged looks, "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

"RIKU!"

The head rose, his eyes sweeping around the room, "Reni! Get Kairi out of here!" Reni nodded and pulled on Kairi's arm, pulling her down the opposite stairs as a swarm of Heartless appeared behind them. Shoving her down the steps she yelled orders at Goofy to get Kairi to the gummy ship.

"If I'm not back in five minutes, leave without me!"

"But Reni—"

"GO!"

Donald and Goofy could only nod.

She turned to face the glowing figure of her brother. The Heartless flew past her without a second look, and she was left alone.

"Please. Give Riku back his body!" Reni cried, stepping forward.

"Reni!"

Ansem laughed, struggling against Riku's fading hold, "That is impossible. He willingly gave it to me. Too bad your friend was not as cooperative."

As if remembering for the first time, Riku looked around the room again, searching for the long blonde hair of his beloved, "Neki?" He turned to face Reni, "Where is she?!"

"Riku I—"

"WHERE IS SHE?!?"

"I'm sorry!" Reni turned away, fleeing down the stairs as fast as her legs would take her. She couldn't tell him the truth. What she had done. The horrible truth of what she had done to someone they loved.

She had killed Neki.

She couldn't tell him that.

- - - - -

"Sora?"

The little Shadow cocked its head, the antennas wiggling as it did so.

Kairi bent down to it. For some reason, the little creature just seemed…So familiar. It didn't feel cold like the others. It felt…

Warm.

"Sora?" She asked again. And again it cocked its head, "Oh it is you!" She gasped and stood up, opening her arms protectively toward the other Heartless, "Don't worry! Sora, this time I'll protect you." The Heartless began to swarm, climbing on top of each other to try and get a better view of their prey. She screamed and they all toppled down on her, covering the Sora Heartless with her body, closing her eyes tight. A bright light flashed, illuminating the room.

A soft voice whispered into her ear, tickling the hairs and sending a shiver down her spine, "Thank you, Kairi."

"Sora!" Kairi said in wonder, her eyes open.

"Sora's back!" Goofy cheered.

"Sora!!" Donald cried in glee.

"Sora?!" Reni went flying over the banister, "I'll ask later. Let's get out of here!"

The five fled through the castle at a break neck speed. Kairi surprisingly knew her way around well enough, much the same way Reni did. She didn't waste time to ponder this, and instead, took the lead next to Kairi and Sora, jumping head first over the first few moving boulders. Rolling to a stop, she looked up and nodded at Kairi. The red head nodded back, then took a running leap, coming to a stop at the boulder above Reni's. Sora, Donald, and Goofy followed behind her.

They continued this pace until they reached the save point. Sora went in first, then Goofy and Donald. Reni looked back up at the castle. It was like something from a demonic fairytale. The way it twisted up to the sky. The Heartless emblem built into the structure. Just looking at it sent a chill through her.

Kairi looked up at it too, feeling the same as Reni, "Its strangely familiar though, isn't it?" Reni shook her head at the notion, "No?"

"No Kai…This is not my home. There's no way this disgusting place could be my beautiful home." Reni turned to look at the save point, "Come on. We better go before they get worried." Kairi nodded and followed the example Sora had showed her. When Kairi was gone, the blonde faced the castle again, "What have we done?" She brushed at the tears and she too, disappeared into the save point.

_What have we done to deserve this pain?_

- - - - -

"Reni!" Sora ran up to the girl, patches on his face, and looking thoroughly beat, "Have you seen Kairi?"

Reni blinked and looked blearily up from the bed she was laying on, "Does it look like I would have seen Kairi? I've been asleep all day!" Sora smiled sheepishly, so Reni sighed and let it go, "If you ask me, I'd say she'd be in Leon's little hideout. The place underneath Merlin's." Sora nodded his thanks and was off. Sighing again, the blonde pushed herself into a sitting position, much to Aerith's despair.

"Will you for one second actually try to let yourself heal?!" Shaking her head, the brunette woman made her way over, positioning herself on the edge of the bed. She opened her green eyes, fixing them on the now fidgeting Reni, "Who did this? I know it couldn't have been a Heartless. The attacks were too precise."

Reni looked out toward the window, "Would you hate me if I killed someone?"

"What?!"

Reni continued to stare, or rather, avoid the woman's curious gaze, "Would you?"

Aerith thought over the question, "If they deserved it, no."

"What if it was only from your perspective that you thought they deserved it? What if they weren't actually doing the bad things of their own accord?" Reni was about to continue with more 'What if's' when Leon entered the room.

"How's our little annoying soldier doing?"

"Squall, would you hate me if I killed someone?"

Leon, like Aerith, sputtered for a moment, "What?!?"

"Would you?"

Squall was different from Aerith. He immediately got a certain vibe from the question that told him the killing had already happened, "Who was it?"

Reni looked over at the male, studying him hard and long. Gauging that he knew the truth behind her so-called 'metaphorical' question, she let herself breakdown and cry, "Neki…"

A gasp and a crash came from the doorway. The three looked up to see Yuffie standing there, with what was a pan of brownies coating the floor, "You killed Neki?! Why?!?" She rushed forward, grabbing the young girl by the collar, "Why would you do that to her?!"

"Yuffie!!"

"Yuffie stop it!"

"She was evil."

Silence filled the room like instant cheese from a can.

**((-gigglesnortlaugh- Sorry!!! I've always wanted to use that…))**

Suffocating silence ensued. Open mouths and wide eyes stared at Reni, waiting for her to continue. She fiddled with the blanket, her focus back to the window.

"She was under the control of Ansem and Maleficent. She was under oath to do as they told her. She betrayed us." Reni paused, "No…She just betrayed my illusion of a perfect sister…" The tears that had began to fall littered the bed, falling faster then she could control, "I killed her because I was mad at her and couldn't control myself…I'm a monster!" Falling into a heap on the bed, she felt three, warm, reassuring hands touch her back.

"Reni…" Yuffie cooed, "Oh you poor thing…" She wrapped the younger girl up in a hug, rocking her back and forth as Aerith walked to the kitchen to make tea. 'To calm her down…' she mumbled as she worked. Leon stood, leaning against the wall. He too, found what was seemingly so interesting with the window.

After the tea was finished, Reni explained all that had happened while at Hollow Bastion. The three adults listened, nodding every once in a while, or sometimes shaking their heads, but they didn't interrupt her with questions. When she was finished, Aerith stood, looking out the window to the streets of Tranverse Town. Leon sat limp in his chair, staring contently at his feet. Yuffie spoke first.

"What will you do?"

"I'll find a way…Sora was able to come back, so Neki will be able to also! Her heart is stronger than all of ours. Combined even!" Despite Reni's obvious exaggeration, it was true. Even at a young age, Neki always had a strong heart.

Squall leaned forward, "Look. If you're anything now, like you were back then, I'm sure you'll not only think up a plan to get Neki back, but a plan to get Riku back, but also bring the untimely end to everyone everywhere." Yuffie and Aerith exchanged looks and giggled. Reni sat rather blank-faced on the bed.

"Say what now?"

The brunette smiled, shaking his head. Standing up, he whacked Reni on the back of the head like parents do, "Just eat something and rest up, okay?"

Reni stared, "DID YOU JUST WHACK ME?!?"

Yuffie stood as well, a huge grin plastered to her face, "It's good to have you back."

"What? WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE CONFUSING ME?!?"

Aerith just smiled and stood, walking over to the kitchen, "Chocolate chip cake work fine for you?" Squall scowled, "Or maybe some spaghetti?"

"SKETTI!"

- - - - -

Sora let out a sigh as he trudged his way through the water back to Kairi, who was busy murmuring about there really being a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Oh…" Sora shook his shoes to free some water from his shoes, "You're grandma's story, right?" The red head turned to give him a surprised look.

"That's right," she smiled, "We were together."

The brunette took a few steps towards her, "You know what's funny? I looked everywhere for you…But you were with me all along! We're finally together again!" He plastered on a determined look, "Now it's time to get Riku back."

Kairi looked crestfallen, "You think it'll ever be the same?"

He shook his head, "Can't say I do. After all the things we've seen and done…We'll try though!"

"But Riku… His…"

"Remember when I turned into a Heartless? You saved me!" Sora glanced down at his hands, flexing them as he remembered himself that cold feeling as he fell through the darkness, "I was lost there…In the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I fell…I began to forget things. Who I was, who my friends were…But then," he looked up into Kairi's eyes, "I heard a voice; your voice! And it brought me back."

Kairi smiled, leaning her head to the side, "I didn't want to forget about you, Sora…I couldn't."

Sora grinned back, then turned and gave a hearty arm pump, "That's it!"

Startled, Kairi asked, "What's it?"

"Our hearts are connected, and the light from our hearts broke through the darkness! That light…That's what saved me. I'm sure of it," he again faced Kairi, "No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within…" A smile was brought to his face, "I guess it's not just a fairy tale after all!"

Grinning, Kairi clapped her hands together, "Then let's go!"

"Ooooh no! There is no way you're going with!"

Kairi pouted, "And why not?"

"You'll get in my way!" Sora cried in the normal boy fashion, turning away to cross his arms.

"Awww… Come on! We've gotten this far by sticking together!"

Sora gave her a look, "We got this far because I didn't have to worry about you while I was fighting."

"That's not fair! What about Reni?!" Sora turned and spread his arms out.

"Reni got this far because she can fight! No matter how annoying the girl is…" Sora crossed his arms again, "Look. We won't have to be apart because our hearts keep us together! Don't worry!"

Kairi seemed to think about it for a moment, then reached into her pocket, "Fine, but you have to take this and keep it with you at all times!" Sora looked down at the trinket, "It's my lucky charm. Bu sure to bring it back to me!" Her hands were on her hips, and she gave him a playful scowl.

Nodding, "Okay I will."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Don't forget. Wherever you go, I'm with you too."

Smiling, he gave the girl a tight hug, "I won't."

- - - - -

"Have you told them?"

Squall's question brought the blonde out of her quiet reverie. The group of Hollow Bastions stood at the world gate, waiting for the Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Reni was mostly free of bandages, though a few remained on some of the deeper cuts. She had borrowed some clothes from Yuffie, since hers had been ruined by all the blood.

Tugging at the tight fitting tan capris, she answered quietly, "No…"

Yuffie looked down at her, "Do you plan to?" Reni shook her head.

"I'm sure they already know." After that was said, she began fiddling with the jacket that covered her magenta colored tank top, zipping it up and down. Kicking at the ground with her tennis shoes, she continued, "It doesn't matter though. What's done is done. I'll fix it, and everything will go back to how it was before."

Aerith sighed, "If you insist…But please be more careful."

Everyone, including Reni, gave Aerith a look that clearly said, "Oh give me a break!"

"I'm just saying. You know how I worry!"

Reni smiled and nodded, wrapping her arms around her in a hug, "I'll try to be careful. For you."

Hugging her back, Aerith grinned, "That's all I ask."

They broke apart when Sora came running up with Goofy and Donald in tow, "Sorry we took so long! Kairi was taking forever in saying good-bye." He came to a stop in front of Reni, "Would you do the honors?" The three adults and two animals shared a confused look.

"Keep the snogging for AFTER we save the world," Reni said with a hand on her hip. The two glared for a moment, before breaking into grins and hugging.

Sora whispered into her ear, "We'll save them both."

They broke apart and Reni smiled, "I know."

Turning to face the gate, Sora and Reni linked arms, thrusting their free arms into the air to give a hearty yell, "TO HOLLOW BASTION TO KICK ANSEM BUTT!!!"

- - - - -

"You know Sora," Reni mulled as the climbed the stairs into the room with the Keyhole, "When we save Riku and Neki…We're going to have to stick forks in our eyes from the fluff." Sora looked back at her with a frown.

"I brought spoons…But I think it'll still work." Reni nodded.

"I'm sure those will be fine…"

Donald and Goofy, walking a bit behind the blonde, exchanged worried glances.

Sora slowed down to walk next to Reni, "What if she cries? You know she can be a crier…"

She nodded, patting her pockets, "I've got the tissues." Playfully nudging his side she added, "Brought some for you too!" She grinned cheekily and ran forward to avoid his swat at her head, "What?! You know you can be a bit of one too!"

"Shut up Reni! Who asked you!"

The two laughed and began to walk side by side again, stopping once they realized that they'd reached the Keyhole.

Sora gave Reni a look, "After you."

"Oh I couldn't! Ladies first you know."

Sora glared, "Well in that case…"

Reni grinned, "After Donald!"

"HEY!" Goofy hid his smile behind his hand while Donald glared, "Am I the only one who seems to realize how serious the situation is?" The three wilted quickly, causing Donald to regret his words, "I said serious, not sad!"

Reni perked up, punching Sora on the arm, "Right! Come on Mr. Key Bearer! Lead us in to 'everlasting darkness'!" Sora grinned at her tone, noticing she was mocking Ansem.

"Well of course! I would be honored to be your guide on this trip into 'everlasting darkness'," snorting at his own tone of voice, Sora clasped hands with Reni, who held fast onto Goofy, who looked expectantly at Donald.

Sighing, he replied, "If I have to…"

Together the four walked confidently into the Keyhole, and into the heart of darkness.

- - - - -

Neki sighed and drummed her fingers against her face. Ever since…What's-her-name killed her, she had been in a permanent free fall. At first it was amusing, she squealed, giggled, and even pretended to swim in it. However, after…God knows how long… it had become more of a nuisance.

"If I'm going to become a Heartless, why don't I just do it already?!" She huffed angrily, and looked down at her lap, seeing as she was sitting with her legs crossed as she fell. In her lap was a small trinket, a necklace to be exact. A simple chain with a simple cross attached to it. From her mystery killer, "Oh, right…"

She still had to smack some sense into the girl who owned this.

"Honestly. Who goes around killing people without saying something cool before they do it?" Neki scoffed and turned her head, "No style. No style at all…"

- - - - -

"ACHOO!"

Sora jumped back, then up, "Now is NOT the time to be getting sick, stupid!"

Reni ran back some, then threw a potion to Donald, "I'm not! Someone must be talking about me!" Sora managed to roll his eyes while keeping balance on the Behemoth's head, then hit the horn, which they found to be the weak point, quite a few times. He landed on his butt after being thrown off, and Reni fought down the urge to point and laugh.

Donald squawked and ran away from the Behemoth's front limb as it came crashing down considerably close to his head, "WORRY ABOUT IT LATER!"

Huffing, she fired a few arrows, most of which missed the horn completely, "Tch…" She glanced to her side, where she saw an unconscious Goofy, "Crap. Sora!" When she had his attention, she yelled, "I need a Potion!" He looked pained, and yelled that he didn't have anymore. Just as he did, Donald was thrown back behind Reni, knocked out as well.

"Isn't that just dandy."

"Sora!" Launching herself at him, she got him out of the way, but took a considerable amount of damage to her already weakened abdomen. Coughing up some blood, she rolled away before she could take another hit. Pushing herself onto her heels, she let out a breath. From the pain she was feeling, Reni could honestly say it might be one of her last.

Sora got up and rushed to her, pulling her up and away from the burly beast, "You okay?"

Nodding, she lied, "Yeah, he just hit a spot. That's all." He believed her and ran for the Heartless again, leaving her to fall to the ground. _I can't take much more of this…My stamina is at an all time low, and the heavy wounds from Neki are starting to open up again…_ She narrowed her eyes and hissed as a wave of pain crashed on her. _If only we had a potion…Or some elixirs, because I'm wiped out on MP too…_

She stood, grabbing her bow off the ground and knocked a few arrows, "Here goes!" Running around the edge of Behemoth's physical range, she fired off arrows, making sure at least one managed to hit. When she had enough MP, she ran for it, intending to hit him with a Firaga.

Sora blinked as the beast reared up onto his hind legs, watching in astonishment as the thing rose taller than it was before. Reni pulled up to a stop next to him, tugging at his sleeve, "Stupid, run!!" His eyes widened and he took her advice, noticing before it was too late that Reni was not next to him. He turned back towards her and it seemed as if everything was going in slow motion.

He saw her eyes go wide, her chest heaving with obvious signs of over exertion on her somewhat bloody face. Sweat running down her bare arms, Yuffie's jacket discarded somewhere in the area. He saw the legs come down, lower and lower until Reni was completely encased in the shadow. He saw her lips move to form a single word, "Shit."

And the world came crashing down, "RENI!" Skidding to a stop, he could only stare at the mass of blood that surrounded the area, Reni's body turned at angles he didn't know possible. He knew not even Riku would think him weak for blanching at the sight, his mouth covered and tears falling quickly down his cheeks, "Oh my god…"

Then it hit him. His teary blue eyes flew to the still unconscious bodies of Donald and Goofy. Skirting the bloody mass of our sweet girl. He closed his eyes, falling onto the ground and scooting backwards until he felt a barrier stopping him.

He was alone.

Never had he once really fought alone like he was now.

He always had somebody there.

Now there was no one.

Dear god, he never felt so dead in his life.

"Neki…" he hiccupped, "I need you…"

He saw in his mind exactly how she would look if he had ever said that. He could hear her words… _Silly boy…_She would say, _You're supposed to be tougher than this! What will you do when I'm not there?_

"You'll never leave me…" he answered and looked up into the glowing eyes of the Heartless. It didn't move an inch, relishing in its victory he supposed. It didn't matter. He closed his eyes and saw her eyes roll, _I will _not_ always be around._ She'd glance over to where he knew Reni would be standing, sharing with each other a look he never understood, "But Neki…"

She'd stop him there, a playful grin gracing her lips, her hand would be on her hip, and in an almost scolding tone she would say…

"How many times have I told you not to need me?"

His eyes flew open, but were blocked by the image of brown eyes staring back at him. The face moved back to reveal a cheeky grin, and a mass of blonde hair, bangs covering one of the eyes in typical fashion.

"Neki?!"

"Oi! I'm here too!"

"RENI?!"

Neki scowled, "Hey…How come you yell louder for her, huh? That ain't cool…" She raised an eyebrow, "Gimme one reason why I shouldn't smack you."

Sora could only grin like a mad man and pull the older girl into a bear hug, "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Reni smiled and stood back as the siblings were reunited. Suddenly, Sora pulled back and exclaimed, "The Heartless!"

Grinning, the younger blonde rubbed her nose, "Neki killed it, no sweat!" The brunette gave his sister a look, who responded with a shrug.

"And Goofy and Donald?"

"Healed and sleeping peacefully!"

Sora nodded, and then noticed that they were in fact laying not to far off, sleeping as Neki had said. His focus turned to Reni, "Didn't you die?" His eyes scanned the ground, and found the scarlet indent where Reni's mutilated body had been not moments before.

Scratching her cheek, she nodded, "I was…I think. Things are a little fuzzy." Laughing nervously, she looked at Neki, fully expecting her to explain things crystal clear.

Neki cocked a brow in Riku fashion and sighed, "She wasn't exactly dead yet." The look the two gave her made her sigh again and continue to explain, "I was floating in the darkness. I had forgotten everything, but I hadn't become a Heartless yet. Honestly, I didn't know why. Just when I thought I was about to, I heard Sora calling to me, and I began to rise up instead of falling down." She paused to make sure they were following, "On my way up, I felt Reni's presence and latched onto it. At the time, I didn't remember who it was, but I just knew that I didn't want to let it go. Then I went through a bright light."

Sora nodded, "Sort of what happened with me and Kairi."

Neki nodded, "Yeah," Standing and stretching her arms, she finished, "When I opened my eyes, I was here, and there was a Heartless charging at you, so I killed it. Then I saw Reni, and healed her immediately with Curaga. You'd be surprised what you can heal with it!"

The young teen fixed her with a look, "Even dead people?"

The older sister gave him a knowing smile, "I told you. She wasn't dead when I found her. I'm sure she was after it happened, but when I found her she was barely alive." Standing as well, he rolled his shoulders.

"Well. Let's get this Keyhole sealed up."

- - - - -

"We may never meet again—"

"SQUALL!!"

"NEKI!"

"YUFFIE!!!"

"NEKI?!"

"AERITH!"

"Why do I bother…"

"Honestly, I don't know."

After the initial shock was over, and a simple explanation was given, Squall decided to begin his speech again.

"We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other."

"Because honestly, who could forget cute faces like these?" At that, Yuffie, Aerith, Neki, and Reni all crowded together and gave the two males and animals cutesy grins. Sora snorted, while Squall could only shake his head and roll his eyes.

"But really," Aerith murmured, sobering the mood, "Our hearts are connected. We'll always be with each other."

Yuffie smirked and placed a hand to her hip, pointing at Sora, "I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" Sora growled, feigning irritation. Neki laughed, and Reni had to laugh also. Yuffie snorted a suppressed giggle, and Aerith tittered, covering her smile with a hand. Even Squall gave a small chuckle, looking to Neki with a grin.

"Dude." Everyone turned to face Reni, "HE GRINS FOR YOU TOO?!?!? Am I unloved or something?!?" Everyone gave a laugh, but Squall just shrugged.

"You have to admit. Neki's laugh is contagious." Reni just huffed, muttering half-angrily about emo men and permanent scowls.

Holding said girl in a half hug, Yuffie asked, "But how? Last time we checked Neki was…Well, wasn't with us anymore," Reni looked away, rubbing her arm, "Sora?"

He shrugged and smiled at his adopted sister, "All I remember was Reni getting smashed by the Behemoth—"

"WHAT?!" The three adults chorused.

"Let me finish!" He sighed and gave the three a glare, "She got smashed, and Donald and Goofy were down and out…I was all by myself, with no one to help me…I wanted with all my heart to have Neki around…Because I knew she'd protect me." He gave her a grin, "She always told me that I needed to be strong enough so that I could protect her someday. I thought of that…and the next thing I knew, there she was!"

"It was that big heart of yours!" Neki said as she punched his arm. He laughed, fully expecting the next question.

"And Reni?"

Briskly walking in the opposite direction, Sora shouted, "ASK NEKI!"

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!"

Squall gave another chuckle, "No need to explain that Yuffie." The ninja gave him a strangled look, "Reni came back with Neki obviously. If either gets even the slightest whiff of the other, they latch onto it and will go to the edge of the worlds to find the other." During this, Reni and Neki had clasped hands, giving each other grins.

"Of course! We're sisters, and we love each other."

Sora, not knowing the full extent on the matter, blurt out, "You and Riku tie the not already?"

The last thing he saw was a brilliantly red Neki trying to charge him as the four Hollow Bastions held her back.

- - - - -

(Light A/N: Riku and Voice humor here. I always loved Voice. An idea I had for Neki is also being brought in also. But don't worry. I'm making it as UN-Mary Sue-ish as I can.)

Riku groaned, rubbing his neck gingerly as he pulled himself off the floor, "What in the world?"

You're alone?

Surely he'd be feeling that in the morning, he thought as he whipped around in search of the voice.

Save you some whiplash. You can't see me. Yet.

"Yet?"

There's supposed to be another.

Riku glared furiously at the ground, seeing as he had no face to do so to, "There's no one else." Glancing at the sky, he couldn't help but raise his voice, "What about my friends? Are they okay?!" The voice was silent for a moment.

Why are you asking me?

Now if Riku had a body that went with this voice, he would do one of three things:

Beat the crap out of it.

Beat the crap out of it.

Or wring it's neck and yell at it to tell him what he wanted to know.

Which he was leaning to at the moment is anyone's guess.

"Just…Tell me."

Look into your heart for the answer.

Riku suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, and instead, closed them. Hand over his heart, he searched through the darkness for any sign of his friends. He felt Sora first. How could anyone miss all that exuberant energy? The way it bounced about like Sora when he's had three of Neki's chocolate milkshakes.

Next he felt Reni. His lips twitched as he was filled with the warmth that had always washed over him around her. Riku could feel her smile, her sunny and bright disposition always making things seemed better than they were.

Last he felt Neki. Her energy was like the ocean. Beautiful and strong, with a variety of emotions lingering beneath the surface. Always leaving him with a sense of awe and feeling smaller than he was.

You see?

"I do."

Now, the other…

Feeling his brow twitch, he had to ask, "What other?!" The voice seemed to refuse to answer, "I'm talking to you!" Figuring he wouldn't get anymore from the mysterious voice, he contently sat down, prepared to wait eternity if he had to. After a few minutes, he heard – or rather, felt – what he assumed to be a sigh emitted from the voice.

You must not dawdle any longer.

Riku was about to question on where he was supposed to go when he noticed the winding trail that suddenly laid in front of him. Without further ado, he started what he understood to be a long trek to god knows where, "I do expect an answer from you."

Figured as much…

- - - - -

"So now what?" Neki asked Cid in disgusted amusement, as she was currently watching him pick his ear with his pinkie.

"We have to go after Ansem obviously," said Reni as she watched Sora pace back and forth across the room, "What do you reckon he's thinking about?"

Neki shrugged and turned from Cid to face her younger counterpart, "That'd be anyone's guess. I mean – who's to say he's thinking at all? Is it even possible?"

"I can hear you!"

Neki smirked at the sound of her brother's voice and looked from Reni to see Sora with his arms crossed, "What of it?" He scowled and resumed his pacing. Standing, she hugged herself and followed the brunette back and forth through the room, "Sora." He stopped at his name, "The Princess's can't hold the darkness back any longer. I know you're worried about losing us as soon as we're all back together, but it's just a risk you're going to have to take." Fixing him with a look, she dropped her voice, "Be a man and make a decision already."

Sora emitted a low growl, then spun on his heels to face Donald and Goofy, "Ready?"

"As we'll ever be," was the chorused reply.

He nodded, then faced Neki with his hand out stretched. Donald and Goofy were already at the entrance, with Reni not far behind. Neki's eyebrows rose high up on her forehead, "What?"

His voice low, Sora murmured, "Remember when we were ten and I went through a stage where I always had to hold your hand?" She smiled at the light blush staining his face.

"I remember. You cried every time I had to go to the bathroom and you insisted in sleeping in the same bed," said Neki, not so quietly. Reni looked back with a confused stare, but when Neki offered no answer, she continued to stand next to Goofy. Sora's blush had increased from cherry petal, to a cherry itself.

"Well…" he grumbled as he tried to gain composure, "Will you hold my hand?" She squinted her eyes and he added quickly, "For old time's sake."

After moments of contemplation, a brilliant smile lighted Neki's features, "Of course!" Lacing their fingers, the two joined their group. She felt Sora tighten his grip, and then they stepped through.

- - - - -

"So will you really not tell me who this other person is supposed to be? I have a long trip ahead of me, and lots of time to spare." Riku glanced about the black void, waiting for something to happen.

There are beings.

Riku suppressed his angry sigh when the voice said nothing more for a few minutes, "What about it?"

Beings called the Consumed.

His eyes unfocused, and he tripped over his feet, "C-consumed you say? Interesting…" It tried to make it sound as if that's all he wanted to know, but the voice persisted.

The Consumed give themselves fully to the darkness; heart, soul, and mind.

Riku knew what would be said next before the voice even got to it, "I'm one of the Consumed." He could tell by the silence that he was right, "And the other?"

The Untouched. Pure beings that seem to have the ability to repel the Heartless.

Again, he had an idea of who it was, "Kairi?" The voice didn't answer, but he had the inkling that he had guessed wrong so he tried again. "Or is it Reni?" The voice remained silent. Taking a gulp of air, he managed to get out, "Neki?"

The last Untouched has perished.

He coughed on his spit, "What?!"

And yet, perhaps not.

Riku stared wide eyed at the long path before him, his thoughts racing. Feeling again for Neki's presence, he let out a sigh of relief when her energy lulled him into a sense of security.

This girl…

Feeling his eye twitched, he let the dangerous malice leek into his voice, "What of her?"

We shall see.

- - - - -

"It's like a holding cell for all the worlds!" cried Donald in astonishment. Neki stuck her head into one, and pulled it out sopping wet.

"Atlantica," Neki grinned and ran to another.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Sora looked around searching for Reni, "Reni?" He did another sweep, "Neki?"

"SORA!" came the chorus from in front of him. Peering behind the glowing light, he found Reni and Neki standing next to a pillar of light that was a different color than the green ones around him, "Go through the Deep Jungle one!" He took off, Goofy and Donald in tow, and fought his way quickly through Deep Jungle until he found himself in front of Reni in half swing.

"CHEESE SAUCE!" cried Reni as she leapt back, glaring at Neki and Donald, both of whom where doubled over in laughter, "Not funny!"

"So funny!" snickered Donald, while Neki patted her good-naturedly on the back.

Taking a deep breath, Reni flicked her wrist in the direction of the glowing pillar of light, "Anyway, this is the one we take."

"How do you know," questioned Goofy as he meandered over to stand next to Sora.

Neki grinned and touched her finger to her nose, "I have a feeling."

"That and when you look in it you can't see anything," drawled Reni. As Sora did so, Neki whacked Reni's head with a scowl.

"Then…" Goofy looked amongst the group, "In we go?"

Neki looked from Donald to Goofy, then to Sora's back as his face was still submerged into the pillar. Grinning, she locked eyes with Goofy, "Why yes," she then nudged Sora's butt with her foot, making him lose his balance and fall in with a scream that sounded somewhat like "OMGGRAVITY". Smiling, she stated simply, "In we go."

Jumping in after him – in order – was Reni, with a cry of "I'LL SAVE YOU VIA DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID!" then Goofy hunched over as he laughed at Reni's expression, Donald making an ungodly sound that was most likely a war cry, and finally Neki, screaming "VIVA LA RESISTANCE!!!" Plugging her nose and shutting her eyes tight.

Once they caught up to the free falling brunette, Reni insisted that they hold hands in a circle like those professional skydivers, "Now we're cookin'!"

"Ooo! I want duck!" came Neki gay reply as Donald tried and failed to 'swim' away from her.

"We shouldn't have done this!" cried a worried Sora, "We aren't going anywhere!! We aren't—"

"We're on the ground."

Sora opened his closed eyes to see the group standing before him. Reni with her hand on his shoulder, Neki not too far back, looking around for something, Donald rubbing his belly and eyeing Neki, and Goofy looking at Sora with concern.

They stood in an empty space devoid of anything save a ornate looking door. He couldn't tell how big the room was, seeing as the darkness seemed to swallow them up past a certain point.

Reni followed his gaze to the door, "It's like it's emitting light...Keeping us safe." Sora nodded absently and approached it with a dazed expression. He'd seen this before…

Be careful.

Sora pivoted, "Did you say something?" The people behind him all gave amused looks.

"Nope," said Donald, moving to stand behind him.

"Strange…That voice seems so familiar." He faced the door again, hands finding the handles.

Beyond, there is no light to protect you.

Glancing at Neki, he squinted in confusion at what he saw. Was it him, or was the darkness _bending_ to get away from her?

But don't worry, don't be afraid. Your heart is the mightiest weapon of them all.

"Here we go," gulped Reni, holding fast to Goofy's arm.

Remember…You are the one that will open the door to the light.

- - - - -

Riku huffed, "Isn't there a faster way? I can't take much more of this!"

We must hurry. They will be arriving soon.

Blinking, he figured the voice must mean Sora, Reni, Neki and their animal friends, "I see." He stopped and stretched his legs, making sure the muscles were nice and loose, "Well in that case," Arching his back, he took up a running stance, "I better hurry."

- - - - -

"It's the island!" cried Sora. Reni screamed in glee and flitted about, skipping in circles through the sand. Neki was content to stare at the smaller island that held the paopu tree.

Although, before he could smile, an all too familiar voice drifted to their ears, "This world has been connected."

All five began to look about wildly, trying to find him first.

"Tied to the darkness…"

"Where are you?!" shouted Reni, "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"There is so much to learn. You understand so little."

"YOU!" Neki turned to stare at Sora, visibly confused, "From before…In the secret cave…With the door to this world!"

It was if time stood still, Neki's mind raced at a million thoughts a second. Searching through her memory to find the door of which he spoke…Ever so slowly, pieces began to fall into place, ending with Neki screaming, "HIDE AND SEEK!"

Reni stopped in her searching to stare, "What?"

Facing the other two islanders, Neki explained, "Remember when we were playing hide and seek not long after Reni and I first arrived?" Sora nodded, "I looked for people in the cave! There was a giant keyhole on it, and when I tried to open it, I managed to get it open a smidge!" Sora's eyes would have popped out of their sockets had they not been attached.

"YOU OPENED THE DOOR?"

"But I shut it before any of the darkness could seep through! But…"

Reni finished off the sentence, "You gave them the free be, so they wanted to have the whole plate."

"Basically yeah."

As if something had wanted them to shut up, Goofy cried in alarm, "The ocean's turned black!"

They three pivoted to face the ocean, and finally found what they were looking for, "Ansem!"

"A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing."

As the ground cracked, fell and rose to give way to a distorted version of the beach, five pairs of eyes glared at the back of Riku.

Riku, who was no longer Riku.

"Take a look at this tiny place. To the heart seeking freedom, this island is a prison surrounded by water."

Neki's eyes took on a pained look, and Sora couldn't help but know what she was thinking, _Didn't he like what was here?_

"And so this boy sought to escape from his prison. He sought a way to cross to other worlds." Riku's form began to melt, the features becoming puddles on the sand, leaving the looming figure of Ansem. His head slightly turned, and a smirk evident on his lips, he finished, "And he opened his heart to darkness."

Neki was at him in a second, blade pressed to his throat, "TAKE THAT BACK!" Ansem's smile didn't falter, and Neki watched him, but didn't protest as he raised his hand and pushed the weapon away from him.

"You're angered."

"Because it's your fault!"

"You're angered because you know I speak the truth." The words died in her throat, "You fight me simply as a scapegoat so as not to ruin the perfect image you have made for the boy."

She began taking steps back, gripping the two halves tightly, "You're wrong." His eyebrows flew to the top of his head, "I fight you because it is your fault." Her head rose to reveal fierce determination flicking through her eyes, "You are the reason they're dead."

Reni had made her way to stand my Neki's side. The other males remained behind, in awe at what was occurring, "It was your curiosity that ended our world." Sora blinked.

"And you know what they say about curiosity," ground out Neki.

Reni knocked an arrow, "It killed the cat."

- - - - -

"You're a—"

"Yes."

"And a—"

"Yup."

"Of a—"

"Sure am."

"Well I'll be damned."

- - - - -

As the Keyblade came down on Ansem's arm, Neki swung one half of her staff to knock Ansem off his feet. Reni ran not far behind firing arrows whenever there was an opening. When the man fell, Goofy took a mighty swing and landed a good hit to the stomach. The males moved back as Ansem stood to his full height, only to be kicked in the head by the nimble blonde.

Donald cast Cura, then ran in the opposite direction of Reni as the both directed Firaga attacks at Ansem. Sora and Neki made the follow up action, by leaping through the smoke to land direct hits before leaping back out of range. Ansem charged at Sora, who began to run towards Goofy, "Can't catch me!" he taunted, then jumped over the kneeling Reni, who leaned back onto her hands to get a perfect shot where it counted.

Turning at the sound of three males groaning in unison, Neki leapt up and brought the back of her foot down onto Ansem's back, causing him to fall to the ground. The two girls ran out of range, and each drank a Potion, huffing at the exertion, "I can't take much more," said a worn out Reni. Neki clutched her side and looked to Sora.

"We have to hurry and finish this."

"RIKU!" called Sora.

Ansem pulled himself into a crouching position, also holding his side, "Don't bother. Your voice can no longer reach him where he is." Neki growled and started forward, but was stopped by Goofy's hand on her shoulder, "His heart has returned to darkness."

"Sora! Finish it!"

"All words begin in darkness, and so will they end." Sora whipped around at Reni's scream, and found her and Donald clutching onto the ground for dear life as it began to crumble, leaving behind and empty void, "The heart is no different. Darkness spouts within it, grows and consumes it. Only a heart that is void of any darkness can open Kingdom Hearts."

"SORA!" Neki had joined the group that had fallen, Goofy trying desperately to bring them back up only to fall in himself.

"I have collected them all, and have opened the door. The door," Sora felt himself falling into the darkness, letting out an empty yell, he found himself face to face with a gigantic ship, Ansem sitting at it's head, "TO KINGDOM HEARTS!"

As he and everyone fought against the darkness that began to try to swallow them up, Sora began to yell back, "You're wrong!"

"Am I? Kingdom Hearts; FILL ME WITH THE POWER OF DARKNESS!" Ansem screeched to a beautiful and tall white door standing on a lone platform.

"You're wrong!" chorused everyone, with Sora taking over, "That's not the heart's true essence at all!"

Neki took over, "The heart may be weak, and sometimes it may even give in."

Reni followed up, "But we've learned, that deep down, there's a light that _never_ goes out!"

The three stood tall, the darkness fleeing from their limbs as a bright light began to fill the space, "KINGDOM HEARTS IS LIGHT!" As if at its name, the light shot forward, leaving Ansem stunned.

"Wha—?!" Neki squinted, but her eyes never left his fading form, "Light? But why?" His figure began to disperse into the air, leaving a final sentence, "So warm…"

Everyone looked around, just realizing that they were standing on a pathway to the door, "I know that…that's what really lies in the heart," Sora glanced to his sister and Reni, "I know it."

Neki didn't look back at him, and began walking towards the door. Reni nodded and said quickly, "Let's get it closed up, no?"

Donald and Goofy put on grim looks and said together, "All right."

As the four pushed on it, Neki peered inside, letting out a gasp, "Holy—"

Donald interrupted with a gasp of his own, "Look at all the Heartless!"

"No! That's not it!" Reni gave a curious look and peered inside as well, "OH MY—"

Goofy looked in and cried in glee, "THE KING!"

Both girls huffed, "NO! It's—"

As they were about to say it, gloved hands found their way onto the door frame – from the inside, "Riku!" Cried Sora, letting go for a moment.

"Let's get this door closed up!"

"Wait!" he turned to Neki, pleased and yet saddened to see her, "Let me in there!" For a mere second, she had thought he was going to cry.

"You can't come with me this time."

Anger flashed across her face and in her voice, "Why not?!"

The other figure spoke, "Because you have your own task." The girls blinked, registering the voice.

"King Mickey!"

He beckoned her in, and with a slight glare at Riku, she slipped in, running to his side, "What is it? What do I have to do?" He lowered his voice and whispered something into her ear. Riku watched from the door, and noted grumpily that she whimpered at whatever she was supposed to do, "And only I can?" He nodded, "Alone?" another nod.

"I hate to put you through this after what you'd been through, but since you are the last Untouched…"

She couldn't stop herself. Her head fell to the mouse's shoulder and she hiccupped, her hand over her mouth, "But we just found each other!" His gloved hand rubbed her back reassuringly, murmuring in her ear that he knew, and that he was sorry. Irked, Riku stalked over and pried the hand off of Neki.

"Don't touch her."

Mickey could only stare up at Riku knowingly. It was the last time they would see each other until god knows when. Moving towards the door, he addressed Reni, "Have you been good?"

Reni looked at the two through the door, "Been growing up." She heard him chuckle, "Why can't I go with her?" She looked down to see his eyes filled with sadness.

"It's much too dangerous for anyone else."

"Then what can I do?"

"Pray she'll return safely."

Riku cradled her head to his chest, "Neki…"

"I don't want to be alone."

He looked down at her sniffing and wiping at her tears, "I don't want to leave you either."

She glared at him, "We were supposed to go back to the island and get me another stick! We may never do that! We may never see each other again. And that's all you can say to me? Is that you do want to, but you will anyway?!"

"We don't have a choice!"

"WE DO TOO!" she lowered her voice again once the other group resumed they're own conversation, "I can't take this. I lost you once. I can't do that again."

Riku shook his head, "You never lost me."

"I lost you to the darkness."

He didn't have a response.

"What was so bad about the island Riku? _What?_ There was me, and Reni, Sora and Kairi. That was all I ever needed! If none of this had ever happened, and we had stayed on the island forever, I wouldn't have cared. So why did you?"

He didn't speak, and instead opted to mulling over the questions, "I wanted to know more about you. Where you had come from, things like that."

She pulled herself from his embrace, "You could have asked me. I would have told you _anything_."

The word struck his heart and caused him to look away. He had know that she would have, but just telling him wouldn't have been enough. He wanted to understand what she was telling him. He wanted to be able to picture the places and people along side her, not his own versions. He wanted something special that they could share. A memory that only they remembered.

"I was stupid."

"You were."

"Will things ever be the same?"

She faltered, looking over her shoulder at him, "I don't know Riku…I honestly don't know." Standing, she brushed off the dirt from her pants, and the tears from her eyes, "We'll just have to have faith, won't we?" She began walking back to the door, her hand brushing Mickey's shoulder as a sign of forgiveness.

"Let's shut this door!" Reni shouted. Everyone nodded, and began pushing. Reni and Neki on the outside, Donald and Goofy in the middle, and Sora pushing at the center.

"Sora," he looked up at his name to find Riku, no longer pulling, "Do one thing for me." As the space got smaller and smaller, Sora nodded, "Take care of them."

Right before it shut completely, Sora shouted, "I PROMISE!" As it shut, he leapt back, thrusting the Keyblade into the hair, letting the tip light up, before bringing it down to hear the resounding _click_ that told them their job was done.

"Sora!"

He pivoted around, and found Kairi not too far off, waving at him, "Kairi!" Without looking back, he ran for the red head, failing to notice that Reni had begun to drift away, waving to Neki Goofy and Donald, "How in the world did you…?"

Kairi shrugged, "I don't know. One minute Yuffie is showing me how to flip people with Leon and the next I was he-AH!"

At her cry, Sora's hand found hers, keeping her steady. He looked down to find the ground separating. On his side was snow, on hers – sand.

"Kairi, remember what you said? I'm always with you too. I'll come back to you," he leaned forward trying to preserve the contact, "I promise!"

"I know you will!!" Their fingers slipped, leaving Kairi on the platform by herself as it headed downwards. She watched in awe as the scenery of the island burst from the ground, the sea filling the space before her, and Sora faded into a massive swirl of lights. Her eyes flew to the sky as thousands of stars filled the inky sky, "The worlds…They're returning."

Calling her name, he wished with all his heart that he could be standing next to her. When she couldn't see him anymore, she found herself inside the secret cave, glancing around at the artwork. Her eyes rested on a particular one, and she let out a gasp to find it changed.

Starting back at her was the drawing that she and Sora had done when Reni and Neki had first come to the island. She fell to her knees and fingered the drawings, traveling down the wall and stopping at the paopu fruit that obviously Sora had draw leading to her mouth. She giggled and let a tear roll down her cheek as she imagined him hiding it from her. Not too far off from that was familiar writing.

Neki's loopy script left a message next to her head, "If only he had the guts to do it in person." Below that was Reni's chicken scratch, "Yeah, but they don't need paopu, do they?"

She couldn't help the grin that she felt encompassed her face.

- - - - -

Sora turned, "Where's Neki?"

Reni rubbed her arm, missing one of her arm bands, and instead sporting a red checkered one, "She left already."

"Without saying goodbye?" His eyes conveyed the hurt he felt at that.

"She said you'd make it harder for her to leave, so she left while you were talking to Kairi," even Donald looked gloomy. Goofy stood next to Reni, patting her head.

Reni looked at the brunette, "She said she has her job, Riku has his job, and we have ours."

Goofy piped up, "And that we should do our best…"

He nodded, and the four looked around, "But where are we supposed to go?"

Donald pointed to behind Sora. Turning, he found a trail leading to the sun. They nodded to each other, then headed out.

"But how are we supposed to find that there, Door to the Light?"

"FRED!!!"

"That's not a Fred," shouted Donald, "That's Pluto!"

"DOORKNOBS!!!"

Chasing after said dog, Sora could hear the voice resounding through his head.

"HEY!!!"

Remember Sora…

"FRED COME BACK!"

"PLUTO!!!"

You are the one who with open the door to the light.

End

Light: That was…

Rainy: Long…

Light: Took forever…

Rainy: Lots of blocks…

Light: But we're done!

Rainy: Yeah! At 18 pages too!

Light: ALRIGHT!

Rainy: Now we have to figure out a title for CoM…

Light: Dang it.

Read, Review, and be on the lookout for the next in the series!!!

Thanks!


	11. We Now Present

_Hey! Rainy speaking!_

_This is the extra lil' tidbit of The Trials of Light and Dark—kinda like our replacement for the Deep Dive scene._

_I am about to show you—_

**What? Am I not allowed to talk?!**

_You're submitting a job application with a friend at the moment, so SHH!_

Fine… 

_Now, where was I? Oh yeah….I am about to show you…._

…_how me and Light get rid of writers block!_

**- - -**

Neki walked forward towards the sea of shadow heartless. She gazed around the area, first left, then right; examining each face of the small black twitching bodies. Behind her, Reni stood looking around a bit too, her bow in one hand, and an arrow in the other. Of course Reni had something to worry about—she was quite vulnerable against these creatures, unlike Neki.

The older girl held out her arm, as if to say stop. The heartless seemed to obey and stare up at her with what seemed to be fear.

With her other hand, Neki revealed her double-bladed staff, and held it high. The girl cleared her throat, and with a big commanding voice, she yelled, "PART!" and smacked her staff on the ground. The heartless twitched, and scuttled out of the way, leaving a clear path to what seemed to be a cliff.

Neki smirked over her shoulder at Reni like a mentor saying, "I told you so".

Reni pursed her lips, and furrowed her eyebrows. Turning back to the heartless, she walked forwards too. The heartless looked at her quizzically.

_I bet I can do what Neki just did! _Reni cackled in her head. She lifted her bow, cleared her throat, and yelled loudly, "PART!" and smacked her bow on the ground.

The heartless stared up at her as if saying, "…wtf?"

Reni's eyes widened as the black beings began to shuffle closer, and in return she shuffled back. "Whoa, wait…Wait! STOP!" She screamed shrilly as the all leapt up and jumped on her.

Neki turned back, and her face contorted to that of, "You have got to be kidding me…" After slapping a hand to her forehead, she ran over to the shadow-covered Reni and shooed the heartless away. They instantly obeyed. Reni lay on the ground, blinking rapidly.

"For the last time, Reni," Neki sighed in exasperation. "heartless are not repelled by you! Only I can do—"

"I can do it toooooo!" Reni whined, kicking at Neki from the ground.

"No you can't."

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't, get off the ground! And stop kicking!" Neki made a face at Reni, and the younger girl quickly countered with a face of her own.

Soon Reni was up off the ground. She stood running her hands up her arms as if they were cold. Then she blinked, and looked down at her arms.

"OH!" Reni gasped in shock. "They took my arm thingers!" Her expression soon changed to anger, and she growled, her hands tightening into fists.

Neki smirked and pointed to a group of heartless over in one corner that seemed to be looking at something. "I think it's over there!"

Reni's eye twitched, and she readied her bow. "Let's get 'em!" And the two charged.

The heartless jerked their heads up at the battle cry, and all seemed to blink at the same time. One shadow quickly ran forward, grabbed the arm thingers, and seemed to salute them all, as if saying, "Been nice workin' with y'all." The arm thingers in hand, the shadow took off, jumping off of the cliff nearby.

Unfortunately for the little shadow, Reni and Neki saw everything, and jumped off too, stopping to pose in ATTACK! Poses, which were quickly photographed by a 13 year old blonde girl in her pajamas named Rainy.

While the girls kept posing and the Rainy Girl kept up with the photo-op moment, the shadow landed on the ground and brought the arm thingers to a Soldier heartless.

Soldier seemed pleased, took the arm thingers, put them on, and said to Shadow in Heartless speak, "How do I look?"

Shadow snorted in laughter and said, "Like a girl!"

Soldier glared at Shadow, took an arm thinger off, and threw it at the smaller heartless. Shadow didn't seem to notice, but kept laughing, eventually falling on the ground. A soft voice broke the laughter.

"Sora? Riku?" Kairi seemed to have been passing by when she saw Shadow and Soldier. "Is it you?"

Soldier's eyes shifted, and he began to back away, picking up the arm thinger.

Kairi's eyes filled with tears as she leapt forward and glomped both heartless yelling, "COME BAAAACK!!" A second later, she was raised off the ground, hanging onto the necks of Riku and Sora. Sora seemed to be still giggling, while Riku glared straight ahead, hating life.

"Omigod, Omigod!" Sora cackled, quickly trying to shove the other arm thinger on Riku's bare arm. "Omigod I have to see if you look like a girl as a human!"

"Shut up, Sora." Riku growled. "Just shut up."

- - -

_And here's another one!_

A year after Sora had sealed Kingdom Hearts, Neki walked through the streets of Twilight Town, reading off a list in her hand. "Okay…milk, eggs, cheese sticks, some Fuze energy drink, and—" her eyes widened and she dropped everything she was carrying. "I HAVE A BABY BROTHER!!!"

A stranger walked by and smiled at her. "Nice. I have one too." And kept walking.

While a confused Neki racked her brain, a blonde, spiky haired boy passed by a few feet away.

"I wish I had a baby brother…" Roxas mused aloud while on his way to the Struggle tournament.

**- - -**

_Now, I know not a lot of this seems that funny, but when we write this stuff, it's in rp form. Yup. We RP to get rid of writers block! It seriously works! I think in the 9__th__ chapter I didn't know how to start, so we RP'd, and only two posts had gone by when I suddenly realized what I could do and did. n.n_

_Now, since I want to keep typing and I'm bored, I'ma write out all the really funny things that happened all the way in Before The Door, our first NekiReni story!_

_-_

"I FOUND HIS HAIR!!!" Reni screamed holding a strand of Sora's hair she found on his pillow. Neki slapped a hand to her forehead as Reni ran around Sora's room in circles with his hair. _–1__st__ chapter_

_-_

"Sora's hair is not a muffin…" Neki said sharply to the younger girl. Then her eyes widened. "…but what if it IS!" the two girls gasped and stared at each other wide-eyed. _–2__nd__ chapter_

-

"You swam from that very small island a mile away from the play island?" Momma asked, slightly concerned.

"We swam!" Neki proudly assured.

"No we rode dolphins!"

"Well, technically those were sea turtles that started taking us the wrong direction."

"Really? I thought they were horribly deformed dolphins." _–2__nd__ chapter_

-

Reni laughed as she watched Neki leap from the water and duck Sora.

"RAPE!" he screamed.

"YOU CAN'T RAPE THE WILLING!" She screamed back. _–3__rd__ chapter_

-

"_Are you afraid of—"_

"_My foot going so far up your donkey It'll take surgery to get it out?" Neki interrupted._

_The voice coughed nervously._

"_Or how about me suffocating you with bacon?" she said waving some strips of bacon around._

"_Where did you get bacon?" it asked skeptically. Yeah, that was Riku's voice. But why was her mind making Riku some creepy voice that was asking her stupid questions?_

"_That's NYOB!" She laughed manically and ran in circles in the sand._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Working out my glutes!" She heard a smacking sound and assumed Voice was smacking his forehead, "Something the matter?"_

"_You're an idiot." _**–3****rd**** chapter**

**-**

"RIKU!" Neki squealed and glomp his waist again.

"Well look at that Riku! You found your Neki belt!"

"It seems I did." Riku drawled sarcastically. Reni looked from Riku over at Sora.

"SORA!" she squealed and glomp his waist as well.

"And it seems you've bought yourself a lovely looking Reni belt."

"…"

"Sora?"

"Can we take it back?" _–3__rd__ chapter_

-

"_Count to one hundred."_

_Reni blinked and counted to one hundred. When she finished, Riku said. _

"_Betcha can't do it again."_

_Reni stomped off screaming about how numbers and monkeys were_ evil. **–4****th**** chapter**

**-**

"I dare you to run around Riku singing the Song that Never Ends, then climb the lazy paupu, beat your little monkey chest, and then jump into the water!"

Neki stared at her. "That's the best you can come with?"

"For the moment."

Neki sighed, "I thought I taught you well…" she stood up, and ran to Riku. **–4****th**** chapter**

-

Neki rolled her eyes and sat down on Reni's bed, gently shaking the girl.

"Wake up. Sora's over and he's half naked." Reni lurched out from under the covers with a camera and an empty roll of film shoving the film into the camera as she ran down the stairs.

"When do you think she'll realize that you lied?" Kairi asked with a yawn settling back into her sleeping bag.

"When pigs fly." _–5__th__ chapter_

-

Suddenly, all the palm trees turned into blooming cherry trees, it was sunset. Neki's hair was to her waist and had a soft curl at the end. She was wearing a beautiful black and white gown, and Riku was walking up to her in a suit of armor. He was smiling a smile that said, "I know something you know too; you love me", and the wind was ruffling his hair just a bit.

Desperate to get to her savior, Neki began to run, but everything seemed in slow-motion. Halfway to him, she held out her hand and smiled lovingly. However, Riku's expression changed to "What the hell!" and he stopped walking, cocking his head to one side.

Suddenly, Neki heard snapping in her ear and then the sudden, "NEKI!" she glanced over to see Reni with the same 'what the hell?' expression, and her fingers snapping in Neki's face.

Neki's world snapped back into reality, and she realized that she was literally running in slow motion, her hand outstretched to Riku dramatically. Sora, Riku, Reni, and even Beaver (Kairi, who had just arrived) were staring at her like she was crazy.

Neki fell over. "Oh!"

There was silence for a minute.

Neki began blushing and sputtered out, "What! There was a bug on Riku's head! I was going to get it off!"

"You were running slow-mo…" Sora countered.

"It was a really slow bug!" _–6__th__ chapter_

-

"Ladies! Quit it!" Sora butted in.

"Yes!" Neki said evilly. "Listen to your pimp!" _–6__th__ chapter_

-

Freeing her hands from behind her back, Neki showed him the…baby monkey…she had found, "I named her WamWam!" Riku stared openly at it. _–7__th__ chapter_

-

"Kairi's meddling!" Sumiko whispered hurriedly.

"Yes, we need to dispose of her—"

"Why are you guys talking about getting rid of Kairi again?" Selphie asked loudly...again.

Everyone looked up at the two mothers, who had froze like a deer in headlights. Kairi was looking at them in horror.

Ryoko and Sumiko glanced nervously at each other, then hitched on cheesy grins and said in unison, "Nooo! Of course not!" Everyone relaxed. _–chapter 8_

-

"MOM NEKI'S HITTING!"

"NEKI NO HITTING!"

"BUT HITTIN' FUN!!!" _–chapter 9_

-

"You're in love with Neki, and gay with Sora."

"I AM NOT!"

"Denial." _–chapter 9_

-

Neki let out another blood curdling scream as the heel of her foot touched the water. Reni screamed as well, both her feet already in to her ankles, "WE'RE GOING TO DIE A WATERY DEATH!" Reni wailed.

"I WANNA DIE ON WONDERLAND WITH CHESSY!!!" Neki bawled and clung to Reni for dear life. Reni took a step toward the older girl, and slipped from her foot being soaked, then fell face first into the water, dragging Neki to her knees.

"RENI!"

"NEKI! Neki listen to me!" Reni pleaded in a hushed tone. Neki leaned forward to hear the younger child's final words, "Whatever happens…Never let go."

"Stop that kinda talk! You make it sounds like we'll never get outta 'ere alive!" Neki blubbered. Reni looked up at her.

"Promise me."

Neki sobbed quietly, but nodded, "I promise…" Reni face relaxed.

"Thank you."

After a few minutes of silence, Neki looked down at Reni, "Reni?" She didn't answer, "Reni?!" Neki said louder and gave her a quick shake. She still didn't answer. Her breath hitched in her throat as she peeled Reni's hands off her wrist, "I'm sorry. Reni…" She choked back a sob and looked at the distant shore.

Okay it wasn't so distant. And Riku was staring at her with a strange expression. And there are bubbles coming up from the water.

"…"

"NEKI?!" Riku called when he saw the blonde pale considerably.

"SEA MONSTER!" Neki screamed and jumped out of the boat, making a mad dash for Riku and the beach, "SEA MOOOOOONSTEEEEEEeeeerrrrrr!!!!!" Upon reaching said boy, she wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into the crook of his neck, causing him to shiver, "I was so scared!"

The "sea monster" emerged from the water and growled, "I TOLD YOU NOT TO LET GO!" _–chapter 9_

-

"Ummm, Reni? Are you hugging the wall?" Neki suddenly appeared in the cave entrance arching an eyebrow at Reni.

"No, I'm listening to Sora." Reni whispered, not moving from her position.

"...Reni?"

"Yes?"

"You're hugging a wall, not listening to Sora." _–chapter 10_

-

"Right Sora, and there's a midget living in Selphie's hair."

Selphie, who was sitting on the docks, whipped her head around to glare at Riku, "I can hear you Riku." _–chapter 11_

-

"Neki, will you please say something?"

"Something."

"That's not what I mean and you know it!" _–chapter 11_

-

"Oh…My…Land-ho on a chocolate covered muffin!" Reni squealed and pulled the telescope away from her eye. Sora came up behind her and squinted to see what she was squawking about.

Since he couldn't, he turned to her and asked, "What? I don't see any—OH MY LAND-HO CHOCOLATE COVERED MUFFIN ON A STICK!" Reni had taken the telescope and stuck it in front of his eye so he could see the outrageous stunt being done out there in the stray boat. _–chapter 11_

-

Reni shrugged. "I asked what the heck was he talking about, and without looking away from the island he replied, 'the jar is opening—get me a mayonnaise sandwich.'"

"He's gone crazy." Neki concluded, stretching. _–chapter 12_

-

Rainy's interpretation of the Riku-being-swallowed-by-the-darkness scene in this chappie:

WEEEE DARKNESS ON THE GROUNDY!!!!!!! it like, comes up and yah...OH MY GOD IT'S EATING RIKU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HIS LEGS ARE GOOOOOONNNEEEE!!!!!! AH NOW HIS TUMMY!!!!!!!!

Sora wants to eat Riku too, so he runs forward...BUT GET'S TRAPPED IN THE DARKNESS OHMIGOOOOOODDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW HE'S BEING EATEN!!!!!!!! GAH THE LEGS!!!! THE LEEEEEEEEEEEEEGS!!!!!!!!

Sora STILL wants to eat Riku, so he reaches out to rip his arm off to gnaw on...awwww, nothing says friendship like cannibalism...

OHHHHH NOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!! SORA'S BEEN EATEN UP COMPLETELY!!!! HE CAN'T PERFORM THE RITUAL!!!

...ooooh, is that a flash light?

OH MEEE GURSH!!!! Sora has a key...thing...

RIKU'S GOOOOOOOOONNNEEEEE!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE VOICES ARE RETURNING!!!! AND THEY'RE SAYING SOMEHTING ABOOT A KEYBLAAAAAADE!!!!

Neki stood there staring at him like he was an idiot. Then she ate him. Cuz nothing says friendship like cannibalism.

-

_And yes…our story is done. n.n_

**But Reni and Neki's isn't!**

_We have a threequel! 8DDDDD_

**The story continues in our Neki-Reni version of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.**

_We just tonight figured out a name: "Meet Me By The Rosemary"._

**I found this website that describes the meaning of flowers and stuff! I found Poppy, which, in general, means Oblivion, Sleep, and Imagination. **

_I asked if there was one to do with memories._

**And there is! Rosemary means Remembrance! Forget-me-nots are in there too, but it's more of a love thing.**

_Plus, they are so over-used._

**Anyhoo, "Meet Me By The Rosemary", or MMBTR which Rainy will prolly sound out into—**

_MOM BEATER! 8DDDD_

…**that's horrible…**

…_Mom Butter?_

**::smacks forehead:: Forget it.**

Watch out for Mom Butter—er…Meet Me By The Rosemary!

WE LOVE YOU!


End file.
